


Rook

by Lone_Wolf_Fanfics



Series: Dragon Age Fan Fics [4]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins, Elder Scrolls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassin's Creed Fusion, Assassination, Assassins & Hitmen, Assassins vs. Templars, Assassins' Guild, Awkward Cullen Rutherford, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Civil War, Cullen Rutherford Fluff, Cullen Rutherford Has Issues, Dalish Elven Culture and Customs, Dragon Age Lore, Dragon Age Spoilers, Drunk Elves, Elf/Tal-Vashoth, Elves, Eventual Lavellan/Blackwall, Eventual Minor The Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus, F/M, Grey Wardens, Helpful Cole (Dragon Age), Mages, Mages (Dragon Age), Minor Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford, Minor Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Cullen Rutherford, Red Templars (Dragon Age), Sweet Cullen Rutherford, Tal-Vashoth, Templars (Dragon Age), Warden Mahariel (Dragon Age), Young Inquisitor (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-01-16 12:00:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 27,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21270701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lone_Wolf_Fanfics/pseuds/Lone_Wolf_Fanfics
Summary: When a handful of Shora's Rooks are killed in the Conclave, she travels from her Rookery to Haven seeking answers. What she finds is a face from her past, and she is not ready to deal with the feelings that he resurfaces in her.





	1. Ashshora 'Shora' Mahariel

**First Name:** Ashshora

\- A mix of Qunlat (Ash – meaning; to seek) and Elvhen (Shora – meaning: happiness of the journey, she who is happiest on the journey)

**Nickname:** Shora (Most) Ash (Cullen)

**Surname:** Mahariel

**Clan Name:** Sabrae

**Alias:**

Night Mother (The Rooks)

The Grey Elf/The Grey One

**Species:** Tal-Vashoth/Elf Hybrid

**Class:** Rogue - Assassin

**Occupation:**

Night Mother/Leader of the Rooks (Currently)

Assassin (Currently)

Liberator (Currently; will liberate slaves and mages if she crosses them)

Apprentice Apothecary/Healer (Formerly)

Apprentice Horsemaster (Formerly)

Apprentice Blacksmith (Formerly)

Servant (Formerly)

Slave (Formerly; mere days before she escaped, taking fellow slaves with her)

**YOB: **9:11

**Age – Inquisition:** 29-30

**Appearance:**

**Hair:** Black

**Eyes:** Brown

**Horns:** None

**Height:** 6ft 5in

**Skin:** Grey

**Piercings:** Three on the lobe of each ear and a nose septum ring

**Tattoos:** Whilst she wasn't allowed to receive vallaslin because she was half tal-vashoth, Shora's father did allow for her to receive something similar. Her tattoos are utterly unique and very personal to Shora who spent weeks designing them.

**Affiliations:**

Sabrae Clan

The Rooks

Grey Wardens (Via Rasha)

La Volpe (A side-organization of the Rooks, a network of urchins, servants, soldiers, scouts, and villagers that act as runners and information gatherers for the Rooks)

Friends of Red Jenny

**Family:**

Sileal (Father) - Deceased

'Kost' (Mother) - Deceased

Warden Rasha Mahariel (Older Half-Brother via Sileal) - Deceased

_Shora: "Ah, the gentle sound of opportunity passing us by."_

_Rasha: "So what's stopping us? They are waiting to be liberated."_

_Shora: "Mother would have wanted us to listen."_

_Rasha: "Oh. Mother. You could continue her legacy."_

_Shora: "Freeing future generations from a village ruled by Templars. You know, Rasha Mahariel, you might just be right." —_Shora talking to her brother.

Deshanna Istimaethoriel Lavellan (Aunt via Sileal)

Miva Lavellan (Cousin via Sileal's sister)

** Bio: **

**Pre-Life:**

Rasha was born three years before Shora, unfortunately, his mother died in childbirth.

Two years before Shora's birth a former Qunari saarabas was found injured and dying whilst the clan was traveling. Rather than letting her die, Sileal and others pulled her into an aravel where she was treated and looked after. The stitching over her lips was removed and her shackles destroyed.

Kost, as she came to be known, remained with the Dalish and proved to a very valuable and very much loved member of the clan. Whilst she couldn't talk, because the Qun demanded her tongue be removed as a mage, she and Sileal came to care for one another deeply. She even took to raising his son as her own, and Rasha became just as attached to her. Rasha would come to call her mother.

**Birth:**

When Rasha was three years old, Ashshora was born to Kost and Sileal.

**Younger Years:**

Kost's failing health, poorly looked after by the qunari, eventually became too much for her to bear, and eventually took her life which devastated the entire clan, none more so than Shora and Rasha who were still children at the time.

Growing up, Sileal taught Shora in the ways of hunting and the practice of assassination, a secret aspect of Clan Sabrae, more specifically Silael's bloodline, which has always involved themselves in learning the art of killing. Shora relished in her father's lessons, unlike the carefree Rasha.

At some point in her younger years, Shora met Cullen Rutherford whilst in Honnleath. She used to sneak away from the camp to see Shale, she would often clean the statue once nightfall had fallen, keeping the golem free of bird feces and seeds.

She would continue to sneak into the village to meet up with Cullen as they grew up. He'd tell her stories about the Templars, inspiring her enough to want to join.

A strong friendship was formed between them, one that lasted for years to come.

**Teenage Years:**

When Cullen and Shora were 13 years old, Cullen joined the templars leaving Shora behind, she was heartbroken when she was told that she could never join because she had pointed ears.

Her father caught her about to cut off her ears because she hated that she couldn't be a templar because of them. He held her as she cried eventually coming to terms that being a templar wasn't in her future. Shora threw herself into becoming one of the clans hunters instead.

She would receive letters from Cullen, but never wrote back, a little sour over how he left and how things went with the templars. The letters stopped completely after three years.

When she was 15, Shora witnessed the death of her own father who was set upon by templars. This shattered any admiration she still had for the order, and turned her completely against it.

In her grief, Shora fled the clan, but she didn't go far. She wandered into Honnleath where she witnesses an abusive mill owner. This would be her first assassination victim, and not her last. He was replaced by his wife, another victim of his abuse, she became a better employer for her workers.

After her father's death, Shora became determined to stop the Templars at every turn. Including willingly hiding apostates (as well as helping them escape circles, most notably Kinnloch (Pre-Blight)) and stealing magical artifacts from them.

_Rasha: "Ah, another exciting night at home for Ashshora Mahariel."_

_Shora: "Just on my way out, actually. I've found the Staff of Amaranthine."_

_Rasha: "What's this one going to do, hm? Heal the sick? Deflect arrows? Control the populace?"_

_Shora: "They're dangerous objects, Rasha, especially in Templar hands."_ —Rasha and Shora

**5th Blight:**

The Sabrae Clan was now living in the Brecilian Forest. Whilst hunting in the woods with Tamlen, a friend since childhood, and her brother, Rasha, Shora came across three humans who claim to have discovered ancient ruins in a nearby cave. Exploring these ruins, Tamlen touched a strange mirror that unleashed some sort of magic that knocked Rasha unconscious. Shora tries to pull him out of the ruins but she struggles. She is eventually helped by Duncan, a Grey Warden who helps her take Rasha back to camp.

Rasha awakened two days later in their clan's camp, barely recovered from a peculiar fever.

Rasha is sent back in search of Tamlen, with Shora and Merrill. Here they meet Duncan again. He explains that the mirror is somehow transmitting the darkspawn taint and that the only way Rasha can survive is to join the Grey Wardens, who gain immunity to the taint.

After Rasha leaves to join the Wardens, Shora felt a loss of purpose. So she left the clan and returned to Honnleath where she set up the Rooks.

_"I've always thought of myself as a leader. Firm, but fair. We'll have uniforms, and I'll unite a mix of disenfranchised outsiders under one name. [...] We'll call ourselves the Rooks."_ ― Ash to Rasha just before he leaves for the Wardens.

Shora became a force to be reckoned with during the Blight, single-handedly she helped defend and protect the village of Honnleath from Darkspawn, giving many of the villagers time to evacuate or to find shelter, including the Rutherford family before she disappeared into the Crypts which would come to be the first Rookery and headquarters of the Rooks.

**Personality and characteristics**

_"For every quest, there is a right way and a wrong way. Barging thoughtlessly into combat is, more often than not, the latter."_ ―Shora Mahariel.

A true tactician and firm believer in the teachings of her father and clan, Shora took to the lessons of her father in a way that her brother did not, being more studious and more interested in the lore and history of their people. By contrast, Shora's brother Rasha was much quicker to spring into action, yet his plans lacked sufficient forethought as a result.

While the sibling's means were frequently at odds, their motivations are the same, and the pair are at their most effective when they work together, as they balance each other out. She was also very reverent of her father, often citing his teachings and using them to criticize Rasha's actions. She planned her quests carefully and patiently, considering every angle to ensure the best chance of success. Despite this, Shora is also very good at thinking on her feet.

_"'Don't allow personal feelings to compromise the quest.' What a mistake."_ ―Shora chastising herself.

Shora is deeply scarred by past events, including her mother's death, father's murder and the loss of Cullen to the Templars, because of this she is reluctant to open her heart to anyone outside of her family. She also greatly distrusts big organizations such as the Chantry and the Templars.

She is determined to aid those that need help, even if it risks her own life to do so.

Shora dips a black feather in her target's blood following that person's death, she also asks this of her Rooks as well.

As a child, Shora was an impulsive, reckless and rebellious individual with a quick wit and an aggressive demeanor.

As an adult and as the leader of the Rooks, she proves herself as a criminal strategist and organizer. She can also be very persuasive.

While "having fun" is very important to Shora, she is not above altruistic acts and fighting for the disenfranchised. Furthermore, she has no desire to harm any innocent civilians, and each assassination request is investigated to make sure no one innocent dies because of it.

Shora possesses a sense of humor that ranges from lighthearted to morbid.

**Powers, Abilities, and Equipment.**

_"A true master of stealth can blend into any environment. If I remain still, my enemies will have no idea I'm about to strike."_ ― Shora Mahariel.

**Powers:**

**Eagle Vision:**

_"I've seen its like before. Glowing like moonlight on the ocean. I know this feeling. I have since I was a girl. It's like using every sense at once. To see sounds and hear shapes. Quite a combination."_ ― Shora describing her Eagle Vision to the Herald.

Eagle Vision is an extrasensory perception, or "sixth sense". So far, this talent has only been seen in Shora, possibly because of her hybrid nature.

With this gift, Shora instinctively senses how people and objects relate to her, which manifests as a colored glow, much like an aura. Red indicates enemies or spilled blood, blue indicates allies, white indicates sources of information or hiding spots, and gold indicates targets or objects of interest.

_"The note told me to use my other eyes. Sometimes I see things that are not there. Drawings or waves."_ \- Shora to Rasha

**Eagle Sense:**

_"As Ashshora matured, so did her strange abilities, not least of which was a rare form of extrasensory perception."_ ― Marethari

Mastering Eagle Vision led Shora to develop Eagle Sense. A more heightened form of Eagle Vision, it allows her to focus on a target and intuitively approximately where they have gone, or inversely, where they might go. This is particularly helpful in tailing a target, or detecting the path a guard would take, in order to set up a bomb or lay an ambush.

With Eagle Sense, Shora is also able to pick up cold trails or locate disguised enemies. However, for the latter, she is required to concentrate harder and scrutinize people individually, rather than as a crowd.

**Abilities:**

**Master Engineer:** Shora is an extremely talented and prolific engineer and mechanical technician, having been able to make many complicated inventions at a young age and has made many adjustments to her Hidden Blade over the years.

**Master swordsman: **Shora is highly proficient in swordsmanship and prefers to use her sword in battle alongside her magic.

**Master archer:** Shora has been wielding a bow since she was a small child. With her mastery in archery, Shora can precisely hit targets from great distances with such tight grouping. She can shoot objects off of people without harming them, and retain her accuracy even whilst in rapid movement. Shora can also anticipate an enemy projectile to block an arrow and fire multiple arrows at once. Her proficiency with her bow is equally effective in close-combat, able to shift between melee fighting and shooting with ease. Shora is even able to shoot targets while riding her horse.

**Acrobatics/Free-running:** Shora is very maneuverable and graceful, able to chase and outrun enemies through various terrains with no wasted effort or time, even scaling buildings and running from rooftop to rooftop with ease. In battle, she is proven very agile and evasive, able to fluidly dodge attacks from multiple directions with coordinated flips, twists, and sharp turns without losing balance.

**Master hand-to-hand combatant/Martial artist:** Shora is an exceptionally skilled hand-to-hand combatant and martial artist, and with her powers is one of the deadliest combatants in the entire universe, allowing her to compete with and defeat some of the most dangerous combatants one-on-one. She is very flexible and precise in her manoeuvrers, able to change her battle tactics and attack patterns to suit the situation at a fast rate, allowing her to take on and defeat multiple fighters of advanced fighting prowess and enhanced/powered individuals. Shora can also utilize pressure points strikes to systematically take down her foes.

**Master knife-wielder/Knife thrower:** Shora is extremely deadly with knives, able to kill a man with a single stab. Shora is also proficient with knives in long-range combat and can utilize her arrows as improvised knives to stab her enemy.

**Expert Horserider:** Shora has spent most of her life around horses and halla and as such is a very talented rider and with the time she spent apprenticing under a horse master she is more than capable of looking after them as well.

**Master of stealth/Infiltration/Escape artist:** Shora is very elusive. She can sneak in and out of most guarded buildings without being detected, follow her targets for long periods of time unnoticed, and quickly disappear from sight even in broad daylight. She is also a master escape artist, able to free herself from various confinements, such as having been able to escape from being tied to a chair.

**Talented cook:** Shora is said to be a talented cook.

**Adaptability:** Shora has shown herself to be highly adaptable to certain situations.

**Smithing:** Shora is talented at smithing from apprenticing under a blacksmith.

**Lockpicking:** Shora can lockpick almost anything, she has difficulty with magically sealed objects and doors though.

**Pickpocket:** Shora is capable of picking most pockets.

**Herbology:** After apprenticing under a herbalist, Shora picked up knowledge within the field.

**Alchemy:** Shora is knowledgeable in various types of potions and poisons and is capable of mixing and brewing them.

**Hunting/Tracking:** Throughout her youth, Shora would hunt and track animals for food, bedding, clothing, etc. She became very skilled in this.

** Equipment: **

Shora's stealthy nature led her to prefer subtle tools like her daggers and throwing knives. She is especially proficient with the latter, being able to carry a larger amount and hit targets at a greater range than her brother.

**Night Mother Armor:** Shora wears armor that represents the Rooks, hers is slightly different from the other member due to her status.

**Clothing:** Shora's everyday clothing consists of breeches, boots and a detailed dark long jacket.

**Hidden Blade:**

_"The Hidden Blade has been a constant companion of my clan over the years. Some would say it defines us – and they would not be entirely wrong. Many of our successes would not have been possible without it."_ ― Shora about the Hidden Blade

The Hidden Blade is the signature weapon of the Sabrae Clan, and specifically Shora and her Rooks. Consisting of a blade that can be discreetly extended or retracted from a bracer or gauntlet, the Hidden Blade's portability and concealability complement the Clan's trademark affinity for stealth and freerunning. It allowed them to eliminate a target while drawing virtually no attention to themselves, and the techniques developed for its use often ensure near-instantaneous death.

_"The blade is designed to ensure the commitment of whoever wields it."_ ― Sileal to Shora

As its name implies, the Hidden Blade is a concealable weapon that is composed of a narrow blade set into a channel on the underside of a bracer or gauntlet. Controlled by a spring-loaded mechanism, the blade can spontaneously extend and retract from its position.

The blade can be launched by a pressure switch inside the bracer itself. Flexing of the wrist is the means of activation.

**Add Ons:**

The following additions to the Hidden Blade can be added and removed with snap-on mechanisms, that do just snap onto the gauntlet. Usually, Shora plans which add on she may need during a quest. She wears theses add-ons around her belt for easy and quick access. The only one different it the foot blade, which is hidden away in a compartment in her boot.

**Poison Blade**

Shora created the Poison Blade, a supplement to the Hidden Blade that is hollowed within to harbor poison that would distill when the blade is stabbed into a target. Because of its exceedingly thin profile and the requirement of a hollow chamber, the Poison Blade risked being particularly brittle, and in her journal, Shora cautioned that deviations from her exact schematics would likely produce a blade that could easily fracture. Intended as an even less conspicuous weapon, the Poison Blade was not designed for high-profile assassinations, but to silently prick enemies and leave them to die slow deaths that may serve as diversions for other enemies.

**Poison dart launcher**

Shora implemented further improvements to the Hidden Blade. She eventually crafted a ranged-variant of the Poison Blade, a poison dart launcher, which fired poison darts from a distance.

**Phantom Blade**

_"I ask if she can arm a crossbow bolt beneath my wrist. She ponders for a moment and declares it possible, but expensive."_ ― Rasha asking Shora to create the Phantom Blade

Taking inspiration from crossbows to condense one into a wrist-mounted form, making it both fast and deadly at long range. The Phantom Blade can be loaded with a projectile blade or a poisoned blade that causes the victim to attack others.

**Hook blade**

_"The Hook blade helps you get around fast, surprise guards, and is not too bad in a fight."_ \- Shora to Rasha

The Hookblade was a modification of the Hidden Blade that was first adopted by Shora. Unlike the other Hidden Blade advancements, it was attached to the user's secondary Hidden Blade, instead of the primary. It consisted of both a curved hook and a regular blade, allowing it to be used for freerunning as well as combat. The Hookblade also aids in battle by allowing a wider variety of attacks or counters, such as the "hook-and-throw", which pulls in targets for a close-range attack. Aside from this, the Hookblade could be used to pull down scaffolds while on the run, thereby slowing down or eliminating pursuers. This is particularly useful when done in conjunction with caltrop bombs.

**Hidden Footblade**

Also referred to as the Hidden Shoe Blade, the Hidden Footblade was a modification made to the Hidden Blade by Shora. It allowed its users to maintain a low profile in areas where weapons were deemed restricted; as well as to surprise unsuspecting assailants with the combined use of blade and footwork, typically augmented through the studied use of leg-based martial arts. Shora developed skilled footwork and flexibility whilst in Rivain.

**Pivot Blade**

The Pivot Blade allows its user to rotate the blade 90 degrees and wield it like a dagger. It could be held either in a hammer or icepick grip; allowing individuals to quickly stab, cut, and slash their enemies. It could also be dual-wielded alongside a sword, dagger, or a tomahawk, allowing defensive parries and fierce counter-attacks. The Pivot Blade could then be retracted into the Hidden Blade configuration for stealthy assassinations. When Shora hunted wildlife in the wilderness, the Pivot Blade also made the task of skinning less tedious than it would have been with a normal Hidden Blade, since the blade is double-edged with one side serrated. This hidden blade can not be broken with an ax, due to its hardness; strength, and flexibility.

**Shock Blade**

The Shock Blade is a type of Hidden Blade, which replaces the traditional steel blade with two parallel tines which, upon penetration into the flesh of the target, generated an electrical arc, internally cauterizing the wound.

**Karas:**

A Kara is a steel or iron bracelet of Rivain tradition, which can be used as a devastating melee weapon. Originally a Kara was worn as an article of faith, but Karas became popular with many Rivain regardless of their beliefs, both for their simple, decorative beauty, and as a symbol of unbreakable attachment and commitment to a cause. Shora adopted Karas after being introduced to them by her Rivain trainers, who historically used them as protective rings to guard their sword arms. During her time among the Rivain Assassins, Karas were most commonly used like brass knuckles in hand-to-hand combat.

**Bow and Quiver**

Shora carries a bow and quiver, though gifted with the bow, she very much prefers to use magic and knives to fight.

**Dual Wield Daggers (Hers)**

Shora uses her dual-wield daggers to fight.

**Dual Wield Daggers (Rasha's)**

Shora carries her brother's daggers with her, she can't bear to be apart from it, given that it's all she has left of him.

**Smokescreen bomb:**

_Shora: "Ah! Rook smoke bombs. Are you curious to try a few?"_

_Sera: "Should I? I have used smoke bombs before, with varying results."_

_Shora: "But not like mine. I have a special recipe for deep, dark clouds. Throw one of these and your eyes are useless. You must rely on your hearing"_ — Shora, describing a smoke screen bomb to Sera

A smoke screen bomb, also known simply as a smoke bomb, is a non-lethal explosive device that emits smoke upon ignition. As its name implies, its primary function is to create a smokescreen to conceal movement and disorient enemies. For this reason, a smoke bomb is a basic yet highly effective tool for stealth operations that can be employed for tactical retreats or escapes. Upon detonation, a smokescreen bomb produces a cloud of smoke dense enough to obscure all vision. Typically, the smoke is so debilitating that it affects more than just sight, disorienting unprepared individuals by suffocating them. Because the smoke is not commonly designed to last for more than several seconds before dissipating, no permanent ill effects are dealt with those breathing the gas. As a result, the smoke bomb is a fairly simple yet enormously versatile explosive device ideal for stealth operations. Its foremost function is to facilitate disengagement from conflict through concealment, permitting quick escapes or tactical retreats.

**Backpack**

Shora's backpack has been enchanted to hold more than it seems, though not unlimited it does hold a significant amount of items, including but not limited to:

**Journals**

Shora writes down everything, including sketches of creatures, people, maps of places as well as her designs for her Hidden Blade.

**Food Parcels**

When she travels, Shora prefers to prep, cook and eat her own food, and often will be found with a little packed lunch, though she will support local businesses by eating dinner in taverns when she can.

**Water canteen**

Attached to the outside of her backpack, Shora uses this for water.

**Bedroll**

Attached to the bottom of her backpack, Shora prefers to sleep in the trees and out in the open, so no tent, but she does up a fur bedroll to protect her from the elements.

**Rope**

Shora carries a roll of rope with her, this is usually attached to her backpack beside her canteen.

**Pairing:** Cullen Rutherford


	2. The Rooks

The Rooks are a crime syndicate present throughout Thedas. According to Leliana, the Rooks are a secret society that performs assassinations on those who would prey on the lowborn of society. They've been active since the beginning of the 5th Blight. The Rooks were created and are currently led by the assassin, Ashshora Mahariel.

**Founder:** Ashshora Mahariel

**Night Mother:** Ashshora Mahariel

**Operational center:** Honnleath, Ferelden

**Headquarters:** Honnleath Crypts

The Rooks' symbol depicts a rook clutching onto a chess piece, the knight. This is likely intended as a visual display of "Rook takes Knight" as a rook is also a chess piece.

The Rooks and the Friends of Red Jenny often work together to complete tasks as well as share supplies and information.

_"Where others blindly follow the truth, Remember, nothing is true. Where others are limited by morality or law, Remember, everything is permitted. We work in the dark to serve the light. We are assassins. To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic." _\- Night Mother at the induction ceremony for new Rooks.

_"Life's hardest choices are the ones that force you to question your own moral code."_

_"That's pretty profound from a woman that once ate tree bark because she was told it would give her magic"_ \- Night Mother (Shora) and Rasha

_"People are quick to judge but slow to correct themselves."_ \- Night Mother to Cassandra

_"Significance comes not from a single act, but the context in which it is performed"_ – Night Mother to The Herald

_"Only a mind free of impediment is capable of grasping the chaotic beauty of this world. That is our greatest asset."_ \- Night Mother to Cullen

_"Sometimes standing against evil is more important than defeating it. The greatest heroes stand because it is right to do so, not because they believe they will walk away with their lives"_ – Night Mother to Miva

_"We must never give up the fight. The minute we do, we have lost"_ – Night Mother

**Activity Locations:**

Ferelden

Orlais

Free Marches

Nevarra

Rivain

_"Have you not heard of the Rooks? Of the remorseless guild of paid assassins and homicidal cutthroats?"_ \- Blackwall to Cullen

**Purpose:**

The Rooks have always been an organization with the purpose of assassination and professional killing. They are seen as harbingers of death and executors of silent, covert assassinations.

But their purpose is actually a lot deeper than this. They work to protect the innocent. To help liberate those that are oppressed. To stop the Templars from getting their hands on magical artifacts and to protect the innocent mages from them. Though the means may be a little unethical and their morality questionable. The sentiment is honorable.

Whilst they are technically a group of professional killers, it seems they hide behind this to disguise their true motives.

The Rooks' assassins will sometimes take several concise, lengthy steps to complete an assassination attempt, this means that there are more counter plans should anything go wrong, and less likelihood that innocent people are caught in the crossfire. The Night Mother does not sign off on any assassination unless she is sure that the Rook to do it has a solid plan in place.

**Influence:**

_"Your work, your deathcraft, pleases the Night Mother. And so, I come to you with an offering. An opportunity... to join our rather unique family."_ \- Astrid Trevelyan recruiting Zevran post-Blight.

The mention of the Rooks will cause most to shudder where they stand. Commoners and noblemen alike fear and loathe them.

The Rooks have a stronghold in politics and law enforcement due to their ability to bribe, intimidate and extort the officials and guards of any town by exploiting their greed or by threatening to reveal embarrassing and potentially damning secrets to the public.

With multiple Rookeries across Thedas full of trained, hardened assassins, the Rooks have influence in almost every country on every level.

**Religion:**

The members of the Rooks are free to follow whichever religion they please. Most Rookeries will have chapels devoted to many different deities, and religious persecution is not tolerated among their ranks.

**Regulations:**

_"As a member of the Rooks, you must abide by the Eight Tenets. They are the laws that guide and protect us."_ \- Shora

The Eight Tenets are the rules and morals the Rooks follow. If a member breaks or neglects to follow one of the Tenets, they are threatened with expulsion from the Rooks or worse.

_"Our tenets are clear. One of our brothers has decided to disobey them and must pay with his life."_ \- Night Mother to Zevran

There are eight tenets in all, and they are as follows:

**Tenet 1:** Never dishonor or disrespect the Night Mother.

**Tenet 2:** Never betray the Rooks or its secrets.

_"Assassins are meant to be quiet. Precise. We do not go announcing conspiracies from the rooftops to all who pass by!"_ \- Shora scolding.

**Tenet 3:** Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Rooks superior.

**Tenet 4:** Never steal the possessions of a Rook Brother or Rook Sister.

**Tenet 5:** Never kill a Rook Brother or Rook Sister.

**Tenet 6:** Never persecute a Rook Brother or Rook Sister for religion, race or sexual orientation.

**Tenet 7:** Never kill or injure an innocent

_"I would not have drawn attention to us. I would not have taken the life of an innocent."_ \- Night Mother scolding a Rook before his execution.

**Tenet 8:** Always hide in plain sight

_"Let the people mask you such that you become one with the crowd."_ \- Night Mother to a Rook recruit.

**Hierarchy:**

_"So long as there is a Listener to hear the Night Mother's orders, the Rooks will endure..."_ \- Zevran

The Rooks is an organized guild of assassins; they are composed of a governing body, along with several smaller sections and groups.

_"People must be free to do what they believe. It is not our right to punish one for thinking what they do, no matter how much we disagree!"_

**The Black Hand:**

_"Four fingers and a thumb, as it were."_ \- Zevran

The governing body of the Rooks is called the Black Hand. It is composed of five members: four Speakers (Index, middle, ring and little fingers) and a Listener (thumb).

The Listener listens to and receives commands from the Night Mother, relaying them to the four Speakers. The Speakers would then issue the commands and initiate the contracts to be completed by the Rooks' assassins. Each Speaker has their own personal assistants called Silencers, which are the "nails" of the Black Hand.

Each Speaker has a catchment area, a region or country they cover, commanding the assassins within.

**Current Listener:** Zevran Arainai

**Current Speakers:**

Ratonhnhaké꞉ton/Connor (Tal-Vashoth) - Nevarra

Astrid Trevelyan (Human) – Free Marches

Buke Varren (Dwarf) - Orlais

Salit (Tal-Vashoth) - Rivain

\- The Night Mother controls Ferelden and acts as a defacto Speaker for the country.

\- They steer clear of Antiva because of the Crows.

\- They also stay clear of Par Vollen

**Recruitment:**

As the Rooks is a shadowy, mysterious organization of assassins spread out over most of Thedas, the identities of its members are generally unknown by the organization as a whole but are known, always, to the Night Mother. The Rooks' methods of recruiting are shadowy in nature and clouded in mystery. However, it is known that the Rooks do not just blindly accept new recruits and members; a person who wishes to join the Rooks has to first be noticed by the Rooks and demonstrate his or her skills in sneaking and assassination to the Night Mother.

When a person commits murder, a Speaker will approach the killer and ask them to join the Rooks, and if the offer is accepted, the killer will be given a formal, organized contract with a specific target to kill and this will happen under the watchful eye of the Night Mother.

The Rooks are known to recruit serial killers. When a continuous string of murders are committed in cold blood with no arrest, the Rooks will initiate an investigation to discover what happened, find the killer, and potentially recruit him or her.

**La Volpe:**

La Volpe is a group that exists within the Rooks, whilst not assassins themselves, the members of the La Volpe act as runners and information gatherers. Most often, they are used to ferry messengers to the Night Mother from all over Thedas. The members of La Volpe are usually recognized by a small rook brooch they are required to wear on their jackets, rather than the belt sigil that the assassins wear

**Contacting:**

_"Those wishing to contact the Rooks for an assassination must send word to the Night Mother_" - Sera

Contacting the Rooks to order an assassination involved finding a specific type of rook, the bird kind with a specific tag around its ankle. A note must be attached to the bird and then sent off to the Night Mother. The note must be written on parchment that has been rubbed in blood lotus and rashvine.

_"Oh ho. Now that's the Rooks I know and love."_ \- Zevran

**Known Rookeries:**

Honnleath, Ferelden

Denerim, Ferelden

Val Royuex, Orlais

Emerald Graves, Orlais

Dairsmuid, Rivain

Kirkwall, Free Marches

Cumberland, Nevarra

Nevarra City, Nevarra

Montsimmard, Orlais

Crestwood, Ferelden

Western Approach, Orlais

Orzammar Thaig, Ferelden

Crestwood, Ferelden

**Shadowmarks:**

The Rooks use a code that the members of the Rooks use to communicate with each other without speaking. This unique code is known as Shadowmarks. The code is composed of nine different symbols each with its own meaning. These Shadowmarks are commonly placed on door-frames on the fronts of buildings which indicated to a Rook member if the building was safe, dangerous, contained important items or loot, housed another member of the Rooks, as well as other important uses that could help a Guild member or other thieves.

**Uniform/Armor:**

Whilst the Rooks uniforms aren't all exactly the same, they do all share the same running theme. Each Rook is allowed to individualize their armor in whichever way they please, giving room for cultural and religious choices. They are all recognized by the Rooks' symbol that is attached to the front of their belts, and the presence of the color red, whether in a cloak, in a belt, a scarf, etc. 

A few variations on the Rooks' uniforms (Yes, they are based on the Assassin's Creed ones):


	3. Prologue

A hooded figure clad in black walks through the quiet village of Honnleath, few people come and go from their homes and the market, those that survived and remained after the 5th Blight. Many that survived moved on. The local assassin guild, the Rooks, helped them rebuild as they built themselves up. It means that most of the citizens of this village owe them, and in turn, the people that live here offer supplies, weaponry, tailoring, food, etc. The villagers are just as much members of the Rooks as the Rooks are themselves or at least part of La Volpe. The hooded figure lifts its head to the sky, revealing the figure to be Shora Mahariel. Night Mother of the Rooks. Leader of the Rooks. She peers out from under the hood, her eyes locked on the breach in the sky, the tear into the fade that is threatening the world. When the world literally tears in two, it gets her attention. The green of the Breach reflects back at her, shining off her eyes. It's hideous and beautiful at the same time. She tears her eyes away from the sky and then moves forward, her target location in mind. The center of the village. A golem once stood in place but Shale is long gone, even so, the grass has yet to grow back. It's a reminder that it was there. A reminder of her childhood. How often would she sneak away from her clan to visit this village, to keep Shale clean and talk to it. How often would she meet Cullen here. She takes a breath. She tries very hard not to think about her childhood, whilst everything that happened lead her to who she is, what she is, there are some very painful memories in there too. And Cullen is one of the most painful. They were friends, her only one outside of her clan, the only human not to look at her and see the freak she is. The elf ears, the grey skin of the tal-vashoth, and the sort of vallaslin of the dalish. She doesn't fit. A mixture of cultures and race that stops her from having a true home.

“What are you going to do, my dear?” She glances back as Zevran Arainai approaches her, his hands tucked into the pockets of his Rook uniform. He knows she's been agonizing over what to do since the sky tore in two. Her Rooks died there. It's her job to seek justice. To find out what happened and make sure they did not die for nothing, that their deaths will not mean nothing. Zevran has been there for her for a while now. Her Listener. Her companion. Rooks come and go from the headquarters but she and Zevran remain, for the most part. She'll sometimes leave to partake in assassinations but mostly she stays close by.

“I have to go” She admits turning to look back down at the soil below. “This is on me”

“Their deaths are not your fault” Zevran scolds.

“I sent them” She counters. “They were only there because I sent them there, I may not have torn open the sky, but I am in part to blame for their deaths” Zevran shakes his head but does not argue further, he knows her well enough to know she is too stubborn for her own good some times. Just like Rasha had been when he traveled with him. “Contact the Speakers” she orders of him. “Have them send out an order to all the Rooks. We have no idea what is going on, eyes and ears open, we must rely on the La Volpe now more than ever, but make sure they are careful and safe, we don't need any more casualties” he nods and then backs away, leaving her to her thoughts. Shora takes a breath and nods, a plan forming in her mind.

….........

As the sun sets, an all-black stallion burst out of Honnleath. Shora wrapped in her full Night Mother armor on it's back. The horse wears a collection of pockets and pouches on his saddle packed and loaded. Shora doesn't know how long this is going to take her. But her first mission.....visit the temple of Sacred Ashes and see the damage for herself. 


	4. Chapter One

Shora spends a week on the road to reach Haven, the location of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. She arrives in the dead of night and avoids any of the sentries on the lookout, sticks to the shadows of the trees and takes the long way around the village to reach the temple. Rasha wrote to her the time he came to the village. When he faced off with cultists and spiritual challenges. Part of her was jealous, at the time, that he got to go off and adventure across Ferelden. Then she read the letters from him. Of how hard it was. Of how much weighed on his shoulders. Part of her thinks he knew he was going to die in the end. That it would kill him. She wonders, often, if he knew. If every step he took he knew that it would lead to his death. She wishes she knew.....she would never have gone to the ruins that day, she would have made an excuse for them not to go. She would have done so much more to protect him. She pulls her horse around close to the temple walls but not too close. The two of them still covered by the moonlight and the trees. She dismounts and adjusts the reigns over his head as she approaches the tree in front of them. She wraps and then ties the reign around the tree trunk before moving back to the horse.

“Hey, Wraith” she starts turning back to the horse. “Stay here” he huffs at her. “Shhh” Shora whispers to Wraith as he kicks his feet a little. “I won't be long” she assures him as she pulls a scarf up to hide the bottom half of her face. She strokes his neck before walking away from him, leaving him tied up within the trees to wait for her. She hates leaving him alone. He's an amazing horse. A lucky find. Very lucky. He's fast. Powerful. Strong. Loyal. She was lucky he was gifted to her and not someone else. Plus he's actually rather amusing. For a horse. She needs friends. She knows that.

…...............

The Temple of Sacred Ashes is eerie and dark. Bare of any signs of life. No birds. No insects. Nothing. Even Shora's footsteps seem to echo and she's a very light step. She has to be, to be an assassin. She glances around, checking her environment before she reaches for her belt to grab an attachment hanging there, she then snaps it into place against her bladed gauntlet, she checks it's secure before holding her arm upward, aiming above her. The hook on the end grasps into the rock before the wire pulls her up towards the hook. She leaps up when she reaches the end, the hook pulling free and slivering back into her wrist bracer. Her eyes take in the sight in front of her. The destruction of the temple. Those that attended the Conclave event, had no chance at surviving it. She hugs herself to the pillar, holding herself up against her grief. She hates losing people, losing one of the Rooks. They're her family.

“Hey!” She snaps her head around and looks down at the ground where an armed man approaches the pillar she's perched on. “How did you get in here?!” The guy watching her is dressed in a uniform she's never seen before. She snaps her eyes back to his face. “You're not supposed to be here, it's not safe” he scolds, she turns and grabs the top of the pillar before she throws herself off the edge, swinging her way down to the ground, she doesn't hesitate once she lands, she just keeps moving. Weaving her way through the ruins back the way she'd come. There is nothing left here for her. No bodies to bury. No personal belongings to return to loved ones. Only letters that need to be sent out. No funeral arrangements by maybe she can arrange for some form of memorial for those that died.

….............

Shora pounces tree branch to tree branch as she makes her way through the woods towards where she left Wraith. But he's no longer alone. Someone is stood talking to Wraith, fingers touching his slender neck, blonde hair slightly frosted with the cold. Shora perches herself in the tree above them, her eyes watching the movements of the man as he moves to the tree, his fingers toying with the reigns. He's going to steal her horse.

“Dirasha” She commands, Wraith snaps his head around to the man trying to untie his reigns. Wraith lifts a leg and kicks, sending his intruder flying onto his back with a grunt, armor clattering, he lifts his head to glare at the horse slightly.

“Hey!” he scolds the horse just as Shora pounces from the trees above to land in a crouch between them. He stares at her as she grabs the reigns and swings herself up onto Wraith's back, pulling him around her eyes shift to the man on the ground. She stares down at him, eyes clashing, recognition flashing in her eyes. Cullen. He groans and rubs the back of his neck. What is he doing here? She asks herself. And not in Templar armor. Instead, he wears something entirely different. Something softer. She shakes her head. She can't stay here. She can't linger. Not even for a historical face. He may have aged, but she can still see the same 13-year-old boy behind his eyes. She swallows thickly and then kicks at Wraith, he rears slightly and then takes off through the trees, leaving Cullen to stare after them. 

….........

Once clear of Haven, Shora slows Wraith, her emotions catching up with her. It's been such a long time since she's seen Cullen. 13 years old, watching him walk out of her life and into the Templars. She felt betrayed. By him. By the Templars. By herself. By the pointed tips of her ears. Cullen was the one that made her fall in love with the idea of the Templars, he was the one that introduced her to them, made her want to join, to become a great warrior. But none of that worked out. Simply because she has pointed ears. Shora pulls Wraith to a stop and then jumps from his back, just in time, because she doubles over, yanking her mask down and empties her stomach. Too long she has buried her emotions, that when they hit her, they hit her hard. She takes a deep breath and drops back into the snow with a groan. She was not expecting to see him there. How could she have expected it? Last she knew he was with the Templars. And not in some small town in the middle of the mountains. What is he even doing here? She wonders. Wraith nudges her back and she turns her head to glance at him.

“I'm fine” she assures him as she pushes herself to her feet. “Just....a long day” she whispers as she scratches at his face, his head leaning into her touch. “Come on” she pulls herself up onto his back, gently tugging on the reigns to get him moving. 


	5. Chapter Two

_ **Past:** _

_The sun is in its final stages of setting above Honnleath and ten-year-old Cullen sits with his back against the legs of the Golem, his knees resting on either side of a young Shora, the same age as he is, her chin and neck unmarked by her tattoos, her ears unpierced, she is still just a child, and she leans back, letting his fingers pulling at her hair as he separates the strands to braid them for her. A pile of beads and charms at his side. Shora lets her eyes scan over the book in her hands. He'd brought her a copy of the canticle of light to read. With them wanting to be Templars. Recruits have to be andrastrian in beliefs. So that means Shora has to convert if she wants to be a templar. Which she does. And whilst she hates to turn away from the creators, being a templar is what she wants. And there is nothing against her internally worshipping the creators and externally worshipping the Maker and Andraste. It's a small price to pay to get to do what she wants. Cullen slides another bead into her hair and then twirls the strands together. He's using Shora for practice. His younger sister has been pushing him to do her hair, to help do the fancy braids the other girls have, and he has no idea what to do. Shora had shown him, and then allowed him to practice on her hair. Once he gets going, it's easy enough and with a bit more practice he will have it perfected._

_“Do you ever worry?” Shora asks, Cullen's hands pause in her hair as he frowns at the back of her head._

_“About what?”_

_“About what people think” she answers him. “About you being friends with a savage knife-ear?”_

_“No” he answers sure of himself before he goes back to braiding her hair. “You're my friend, that's all that matters” he smiles a little and tugs on her hair. “You'll always be my friend, Ash, my best friend, I promise” he assures her warmly, she smiles and nods a little._

…............

Shora takes a breath pulling back from that memory, her chest aching. She was so excited back then. Her future was so clear in her mind. How little she knew back then. How easy it was for Cullen to break that promise to her. She's been back a few hours now, but she hasn't slept since she left Haven. Seeing Cullen was too much a shock. It rattled her. All that anger and pain and disappointment bubbling up to the surface. She flexes her fingers, the digits aching from the letters she's having to write. She should never have sent so many Rooks to the Conclave. But it was something new. Something that would affect all of them. She had to send enough to watch each other's backs. She made a mistake sending any at all.

“Here” Zevran sets a bottle of wine and a goblet on the table beside her, she rolls her head to meet his eyes. “You look like you need this”

“No, Zevran” she argues. “I need to sleep” she sighs a little. “But I want to get these letters of condolences finished” Zevran pulls a chair to her side and sits on it. “If I walk away from them now, I won't return to them”

“I also have this” he sets a letter in front of her, Shora sets down her quill and picks up the letter. “It's from Speaker Trevelyan,” He tells her, she frowns a little and then turns the letter around to slide a dagger under the lip of the parchment. Her eyes track over the words written before she stands from her seat.

“There is a survivor” she whispers reading the words. Zevran pours himself a drink of the wine as his eyes track Shora as she moves around the room. He can already see some form of a plan forming in her mind. A next step. Maybe she can get some retribution for the lives lost at the Temple. This survivor must know something about what happened. There must be a reason they survived and no one else did. She should have stuck around Haven a little longer but she was upset by the state of the temple....and then Cullen. She takes a breath and shakes her head. Not the time to think about him. “Send a reply to Astrid” Shora states turning towards Zevran, he grabs her quill and a spare piece of parchment. “Have her meet me in Haven.....her brother was at the Conclave, and her name will hold more weight than mine” Zevran nods as he makes notes. “She'll be looking for answers as much as I am....No” she stops suddenly. “Have her come here” she corrects. “To the tavern in the village....I'll meet her there” Shora takes the wine from the table and taps her nails on the glass bottle. “Yes...that will work,” she tells herself, her plan rolling through her mind a million miles an hour.

..............

Cullen stands at the war table in Haven, his eyes staring at one of his map markers though his fingers turn a small bead around between his fingers. His eyes shift down to the bead and he sighs sadly. It's one of Shora's. He kept it all these years. Usually hanging on a chain around his neck. A reminder of his childhood, of his time with her. His best friend. And in the years after he left Honnleath, he's never had a friendship that's even come close to what he had with her. And...After everything that's happened, he wanted to get word to her. He wants to tell her that it never turned out the way they imagined it. That he is actually glad she wasn't part of the Templars. They would have destroyed her spirit, and it would have been his fault. He introduced her to the stories of the templars. He encouraged her to want to join. If she had, who knows what would have happened to her. But truth is, he doesn't know what happened to her anyway. The dalish are notoriously hard to track, and with everything that's happened, the Blight, his move to Kirkwall, he admits he didn't really try all that hard to keep track of them. He knows there was a dalish clan outside of Kirkwall, but he never thought to ask them for help. He could have asked Hawke given that the woman had dealings with them, he could have asked the Warden when he met him, knowing that that was Shora's brother, he could have asked them, but he didn't, too caught up in his own problems. He should have tried harder. He curls his fingers around the bead, pressing it into his palm. He lets out a staggered breath and closes his eyes. 


	6. Chapter Three

Astrid Trevelyan is a stunning specimen of a woman. Tall, curvaceous, with long naturally curly black hair that breaches her shoulders. Not to mention her eyes. Shora's never seen eyes like them before. Silver with speckles of green in them. A Trevelyan trait apparently, Shora is yet to meet any of the others so she cannot say for certain, but the stories got that they all share that look. She's gorgeous and wasted on being an assassin. She's in the back room of the tavern in Honnleath set aside for Rook business. A small attaché of armed guards, as per her father's request. With the land in turmoil, Bann Trevelyan increased the security on his remaining children. Astrid, her younger siblings, twins, Aren and Eda, and big brother Max, despite his protests about being a grown-ass man who can protect his own family. The door to the room opens and Shora slips inside closing it behind her. Astrid's guards are instantly alert, Shora rolls her eyes a little. Astrid's eyes settle on her friend and employer. Shora raises an eyebrow. Out of her Rook's uniform, Astrid appears every bit the noble she is.

“Leave us” Astrid orders of her men who do not hesitate to obey her. Astrid then takes a seat in front of the fire before motioning to the empty chair beside her. Shora takes it and relaxes into the upholstery. “It's nice to see you again, old friend,” Astrid tells her warmly.

“And you” Shora assures her. “And I was sorry to hear about your brother”

“Troy was...” Astrid whispers. “Idealist” she looks to Shora. “He believed peace could be achieved between the Templars and Mages....he believed a solution could have been found” Astrid shrugs a little. “He asked me to go with him” she admits. “I should have”

“Then you would be dead too” Shora points out. “And this way.....you can help avenge him, you can help find the people who did this” Astrid nods in agreement. She goes back and forth with her grief.

“I intend to” Astrid assures her. “What is your plan here? Why did you have me detour to this..._charming_ little village?”

“I need to remain hidden in Haven, but...” she motions to her face. “Given my appearance, it's very difficult” Astrid nods. “I was hoping you'd allow me to act as your lady's maid, and with enough makeup, I might be able to hide in plain sight and it will grant me access to places that a refugee would perhaps not”

“Of course” Astrid agrees. “But what are we going to do about your height?” Shora raises an eyebrow at her. “Shora, you tower over most...if not all but the qunari themselves, it's a dead giveaway” Shora sighs a little.

“I'll walk in a slouch” Shora teases, the two women share a look, Astrid smirks and shakes her head.

“We'll figure something out” Astrid assures her softly. “Why do you need to go in disguise anyway?” Shora shrugs a little. “Unless someone there knows you...” Astrid figures out. Shora nods a little.

“An...old friend that I'd rather not see again” Shora admits with a small shrug.

“Didn't leave on the best of terms I take it” Astrid comments.

“He joined the Templars” Shora informs her, Astrid sighs a little and shakes her head.

“Bad fate that” Astrid offers, Shora hums in agreement. She knows it is a bad fate. And it could have been her fate too. Now, more than ever, she is thankful for her knife-ears.

“I don't think he is with them anymore” Shora whispers thoughtfully, Astrid raises an eyebrow.

“Can they just leave?” she asks in question, Shora shrugs in answer. She wasn't aware that Templars ever leave by their own will. They died or retired but never....leave. “Thought they had that whole lyrium leash going for them”

“Maybe that's just...what they are told” Shora offers, Astrid raises an eyebrow. “Maybe it's just another drug addiction, the Chantry gets them hooked and then....they can't leave because of...withdrawal, they feel collared by their addictions.”

“Then maybe we were wrong about them?”Astrid asks doubting herself.

“Oh, no” Shora scolds. “We're right about the Templars” she assures her. “As an order....” she adds. “But....individuals” she cocks her head. “Maybe they can be....persuaded” they share a look.

…................

Cullen watches as an envoy approaches Haven, they're not really built for noble visitors. It is barely built for the refugees that are already here. He sighs and shakes his head. What was Josephine thinking of inviting them here?

“More nobles” Cullen grumbles a little setting his hand on the hilt of his sword. Josephine turns to him, her eyes lifting from the papers in her hands. The lady ambassador is a beautiful young Antivan woman, always dressed as if they're meeting royalty, they never are. Her eyes shift to the congregation of mounted warriors with the carriage. She then turns back to Cullen.

“Lady Trevelyan is here on behalf of her father, Bann Trevelyan of Ostwick, his youngest, Troy was at the Conclave” Josephine scolds him. “We owe the family some form of explanation, Cullen” Cullen sighs a little, she's right about that. They have so many apologies to make, so many promises to make. Justice to seek. “Plus from what I remember, the Trevelyan's may be noble but they have never acted like it” Cullen raises an eyebrow at her in question. “The oldest married a farmer's daughter and is now a trader” Josephine offers. “Troy jumped between the guardhouse and the tavern from all accounts. The twins, they spend most of their time with the dalish in Ostwick, learning to hunt, learning herbology and animal care.....and Astrid” she nods across as Astrid steps out of the carriage. “I heard she's into some very shady things”

“Like what?” Cullen asks. Josephine shrugs.

“There are rumors that she's....possibly an assassin” Josephine whispers.

“That does sound weird for a noble family, not just her, but...all of them. The Bann was okay with his son marrying a farmer's daughter?”

“Her name's Eloise” Astrid states, Cullen turns to her as Josephine does. “And yes” she answers. “My father is very happy with the choice Max made, especially considering my mother was once a prostitute, disowning Max for marrying Eloise would be a little hypocritical, don't you think?” Cullen's eyes widen slightly.

“Lady Trevelyan” Josephine starts. “Forgive us for...”

“You have done nothing I need to forgive, Lady Montilyet” Astrid assures her. “Everyone talks.....it does not bother my family, you should hear what they say in Orlais” She teases slightly.

“Lady Astrid Trevelyan, this is Commander Cullen Rutherford” Josephine offers as she motions to Cullen.

“Commander” Astrid greets.

“My Lady” he states back, Astrid inclines her head.

“Forgive me, but it has been a long trip, if you would both be so kind as to show me where I could pitch a tent....” Astrid states a Shora appears behind her, cloaked and made to look just like any other servant, she's hunched slightly to make her look smaller, unrecognizable.

“Tent?” Josephine asks her. “I had a room...”

“A tent is more than enough” Astrid comments, interrupting her. “I am sure there are others, those less fortunate, that could make use of that room” She offers Josephine a kind smile, Josephine nods.

“Of course....” She assures Astrid. “I'll have someone show you to the refugee camp”

“That would be wonderful, thank you” Josephine wave over the closest runner who jogs over, eager to be of service.

“Would you show Lady Trevelyan and her companions to the refugee camp?” Josephine tells the young runner who nods in answers and motions for Astrid to follow him. She does so, Shora tailing along behind her. Cullen's eyes track Shora as she moves away with Astrid, something niggling at the back of his mind. She turns slightly, talking with Astrid who nods a little. Cullen catches sight of gold ink around her neck before she is looking away. He's never seen tattoos like that before. And he's never seen a lady's maid that tall, even hunched down she stands at 6ft. He shakes his head and turns back to the training soldiers in front of him, most of whom had been openly admiring Astrid. 


	7. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - WAS GOING TO HAVE MIVA (HERALD) END UP WITH BLACKWALL, BUT AS I WRITE HER I FEEL SHE IS RATHER YOUNG, TOO YOUNG FOR BLACKWALL WHO I PICTURE BEING LATE 30S EARLY 40S, I CAN EITHER PUT HER WITH ANOTHER OF THE INQUISITION MEMBERS OR BRING IN AN OC, MAYBE ONE OF THE ROOKS.

Shora dons her Night Mother uniform once the sun sets and the refugees go to bed for the night. She sneaks through Haven, easy enough to keep to herself when the only people to avoid are the guards, and they're not even doing that right, too spaced, too loose, they need to pull them in, guard corners and rooftops. She might leave a note once she is done here. Finding out where their 'Herald of Andraste' is staying was actually embarrassingly easy for Shora. People are so willing to talk about their savior. The one who survived the breach. The cabin is centered close to the gates. Mistake. It should be placed furthest away from the entrance. It's not guarded, there is no one standing watch over their herald. Shora slips in through the open side window, the room illuminated by a few candles on the desk which is covered in notes and missives, a few trinkets, gifts from the refugees. And sleeping, in the huge bed in the center of the room, is their Herald. Shora holds out her hand and her hidden blade slips from her gauntlet. She stalks closer to the bed. She wants some answers first and nothing gets people talking like that tiny little blade pressed against their throats. She gets her first look at this Herald. An elf from the lithe frame. She stands over the elf, her arms relaxing with recognition.

“Miva?” Shora whispers and then leans closer to the sleeping elf. It's been so long since she's seen Miva. Well, it feels like so long. Miva had been given to Shora to train when she hadn't shown any promise of magic. Miva was only seven at the time but she was with her for a good eight years after that. “Oh, Da'assan, what were you doing here?” How can she have gotten caught up in all this mess? Her little arrow. Miva had shown little talent when it had come to blades but she excelled at the bow, and Shora has few ranged assassins within her ranks, Miva was promising, she had intended on inviting her to join the Rooks once she had a few more years under her belt, to take up the family practice. Miva and Shora are the only ones left that could. Miva's mother is a mage so she couldn't take up the assassin mantle in the way Sileal could. It was why she was sent to another clan to become their first, to marry into the name Lavellan. Miva's eyes snap open and she's staring up at Shora. Miva throws her hand up to attack, Shora blocks it, Miva brings her legs up and kicks Shora back from the bed before leaping up. Shora grabs her throat and shoves Miva back against the wall. Miva is smaller than her.....by a lot, at least an entire foot. Her feet scramble for purchase against the floor, and Shora's legs, anywhere she can reach really. Miva clutches to Shora's arm, her other attempting to bring her hidden blade up to Shora's throat. At least she's trying.

“Da'assan” Shora scolds disappointedly.

“Da'assan?” Miva asks questionably, only one person has ever called her that. “Hahren?” Miva asks with realization.

“Savh, Miva” Shora greets softly releasing the small elf before she reaches up and pulls down her hood.

“Shora” Miva breaths and throws her arms around her cousin and former mentor. Shora hugs her back, wrapping her arms around the young elf as she begins to cry in Shora's arms.

“It's okay” Shora whispers. “I'm right here, da'len”

“I've felt so lost” Miva admits. “So alone here...I miss my clan...my family” And just like that, Miva shows her age. She's not even out of her teenage years yet. Not even 20. she shouldn't be here, shouldn't be a part of this mess. What was Deshanna thinking sending her to the Conclave? Miva brushes the tears from her face, trying to make herself seem strong despite her emotions, as she pulls back. Shora brushes her hand over the girl's cheek and gives her a small smile. “What are you doing here?” Miva asks her, Shora cocks her head.

“Someone is coming” Shora states as she pulls her hood up again, Miva turns to the door just as Shora slips into the wardrobe and pulls the door closed behind her. Miva moves to take a seat on the bed trying to act nonchalant. Given all the years of training she had with Shora, she should be better at it. There is a knock on the cabin door before it opens. Solas, a fellow elf and apostate that's been looking over the mark on Miva's hand, guiding her, almost like a hahren,

“One of my wards was disturbed” he answers, Miva shrugs a little sat on the bed. “Are you alright?” he asks her, Miva nods.

“Of course, Solas, I just couldn't sleep” Miva holds up her marked hand and shrugs again. “It's....painful” he holds out his hand towards her as he sits on the edge of her bed.

“May I?” he asks.

“It's fine” she answers. The longer he is here, the higher the probability that he'll find Shora. “I'll just take a healing draught and...”

“None sense” Solas scolds. “It will only take me a few moments” he takes her wrist in his hand and she lets out a defeated sigh. “And then you and your....friend can go back to talking” he gives Miva a look, she hangs her head.

“No use in hiding if he is already aware I am here” Shora scolds stepping out the wardrobe, she pulls down her hood and shrugs before crossing her arms over her chest. Solas' eyes widen slightly taking her in. He's never, ever seen an elf-like elf like this. He stands from the bed and steps towards her. Shora raises an eyebrow at the elf.

“Cousin” Miva warns, heavy amusement to her tone.

“Cousin?” Solas asks, Shora hums.

“My father was her mother's brother” Shora offers. “That is usually how it works” she teases lightly, Solas snorts and nods,

“Yes, it's just...”

“Right” Shora gathers. “I look like some darkspawn reject and she's this stunning fine example of the elvhen race” she points out, Miva shoots her a look.

“Shora!” she scolds. “How can you say that?”

“Because my mother was a qunari and my father was an elf, and this....” she motions over her face. “Is what it produces. Just lucky I haven't got the horns” Shora points out self-deprecatingly. Miva and Solas share a look, Miva offers a shrug before turning back to her cousin. 

“Are you here working?” Miva asks, changing the subject, knowing that Shora has always had an issue with her appearance because she appears so different from literally everyone else in the world. “Is there a mark here?”

“There was” she answers, Miva raises an eyebrow, Shora sighs slightly. “I came to interrogate and then kill the survivor of the breach....you” Miva's eyes widen. “But...You didn't do that” Shora assures her. “I know that....I had people at the temple, there were Rooks attending”

“Ir abelas, Hahren, I know how much each Rook means to you” Miva offers, Shora gives her a small smile in thanks.

“I came here seeking justice and retribution, but....” She nods to Miva. “Got you instead”

“What will you do now?” Miva asks her, Shora takes a breath.

“Find who did do it, I suppose”

“And then?” Solas asks her, she shrugs.

“Kill them” she answers simply. “I should be going, I've already lingered here too long” Shora turns to the window of the cabin. “Oh and Miva” Miva smirks and nods.

“I know...you were never here” Miva assures her. “Write next time though, hahren” she teases, Shora smirks and nods before diving out the window and disappearing into the night. Miva turns to Solas who raises an eyebrow at her. “What?” she asks him.

“You didn't think to ask her to stay and lend her help here?” Solas counters.

“She wouldn't have” Miva answers. “Shora is a leader, not a follower” She explains flexing her fingers to work out the ache of the mark. “Plus she works better from the shadows....it's who she is....we'll probably see her around at some point....maybe” Solas appears thoughtful. “You're thinking about her being half qunari, right?” Miva asks.

“I've never seen anything like her, not even in the fade”

“Shora is most definitely one of a kind” Miva states warmly.

“You are close?” Solas asks her.

“She basically raised me from when I was....seven till I was about fifteen, she sent me back to my clan in time for my coming of age ritual” Miva touches the tattoos on her face. “But she was there for the important stuff, taught me how to use my bow, how to mix the most potent healing potion....how to read and write.....” Miva shrugs. “Part of me doesn't want her caught up in all of this, she's already been through so much....lost so much” she sighs. “But if anyone does actually have a chance at finding who is responsible, it'll be Shora, she has more resources than us...” she nods a little. “I suppose asking for her help is going to be inevitable...” 


	8. Other Characters

**READERS**

**THIS IS JUST A PAGE OF OTHER CHARACTERS, AND HOW I IMAGE THEM LOOKING, AS WELL AS PAIRING IDEAS, YOU CAN OFFER ALTERNATIVES AND SUCH FOR NOW. **

**Miva Lavellan (Elf) – Rogue (Bow)**

\- Arno Dorian

**Arno Dorian (Human) – Rogue (Daggers) – Noble from Orlais. Rook. Under 25. Charming and flirty, always getting into trouble, much to Shora's disappointment. **

\- Miva Lavellan

**Astrid Trevelyan (Human) – Rogue (Daggers)**

\- Blackwall??

**Rasha Mahariel (Elf) – Rogue (Daggers) – Deceased**

\- No pairing

**Lina Hawke (Human) - Rogue (Bow)**

\- Fenris

**Garrett Hawke (Human) - Rogue (Bow)**

\- Merril. 

**Ratonhnhaké꞉ton/Connor (Elf-human) – Warrior (Sword and Shield)**

\- Cassandra??

**Buke Varren (Dwarf) – Rogue (Bow)**

\- Salit

**Salit (Tal-Vashoth) – Mage (Elemental)**

\- Buke

**King Alistair**

\- Queen Anora


	9. Chapter Five

Astrid tugs her cloak closer to her body as she walks toward the figure stood on the dock overlooking Haven. It's such a quiet, peaceful little spot. And she knows just who it is that is lingering there. Shora. She's changed back into her lady's maid wear just for now, but Astrid has a feeling she won't be sticking around.

“What will you do now?” Astrid asks Shora who takes a deep breath before turning to face her.

“There is nothing for me or the Rooks here” Shora answers. “Time for me to return home”

“You don't want to stay and help?” Astrid asks her, Shora turns to face her.

“Is that what you are going to do?” Shora counters. “You are staying?”

“I cannot simply leave knowing what is going on, and not knowing that I can do something to help, which is why I am surprised you are leaving”

“There is nothing here for me” Shora repeats. “No justice, no retribution, no...vengeance”

“Miva could use your guidance” Astrid points out. “She's still young, she needs someone she can trust at her side”

“She's older than I was when I made my first kill, she's almost the age I was when I started the Rooks, she's not a child anymore, she doesn't need me holding her hand, and they need to see her able, and if I am holding her hand every step of the way, they will see her as weak” Astrid sighs but does see her point. Miva is a young woman in a position of power, she cannot seem weak in the eyes of anyone.

“That doesn't mean you can't help her from the shadows....you know....work in the shadows to serve the light, and all that” Shora shoots her a look, Astrid just smirks back.

“Use my own words against me, fine....” Shora sighs. “But I can't stay here....”

“Your...friend?” Astrid asks, Shora nods in answer. “You must have really cared about him for it to still be affecting you so”

“He was my best friend, Astrid, my only friend, my clan, whilst accepting, still looked at me and...when you like as I do, even your own family can fear you” Astrid gives her a sad smile. “Well...I guess this is it” Shora adds. “Back to corresponding via letters and birds”

“It's been nice working with you again, even in such little capacity and with significantly fewer bodies,” Astrid tells her, Shora smiles and nods a little.

“It is always more fun with more bodies” Shora teases, Astrid smiles back at her.

“When will you leave?” Astrid asks.

“First light” Shora answers. “I want to check on the Le Vulpe that are here before I go...and make sure Miva has supplies, I noticed her blade hasn't been seen to in a while” Astrid raises an eyebrow.

“So much for 'she doesn't need me'” Astrid mocks back at her. Shora shrugs a little. The two of them now settling into a peaceful quiet, listening to the world around them. It's nice. Hearing people go about their day to day, even if their day does contain weapons training.

…...................

Miva smiles tracing her fingers along the replacement blade for her gauntlet. Shora's leaving gift for her. Reinforced. Stronger. Miva turns her forearm so her gauntlet faces up, she pulls free the old blade and sets it down before replacing it with the new one. There is also a box filled with smoke grenades and a pouch of herbs. And leaning against the box, is a small thick piece of parchment with the Rook's symbol on, just to remind her that they'll be there if she needs them. That Shora will be there for her. And it's better than the grenades, better than the blade, because Miva knows how much she can trust Shora, it's such a deep level of understanding and faith she puts in the Night Mother, to know that Shora will be there for her gives her hope. She smiles to herself and nods. She feels better about all of this now. She feels prepared and ready for what is to come. A weight lifted from her shoulders. She sets the parchment down and looks to her blade, fondly and determined.

…....................

Shora stands talking with three individuals, members of Le Vulpe that have been stationed here to be her eyes and ears. She's recently acquired a few new members with this war, refugees desperate to feed their families, how can she say no when they are so willing to help? Most know of the Rooks and what they do, most know that they help the little people more than most, a lot more than most. They each turn hearing Cullen as he leaves Haven, his heavy armor doing little to cover his approach. Shora nods to the Le Vulpe who disperse around her. Nothing suspicious about that at all. She tugs her cloak closer and moves to head back into Haven, she has a few more things to do before she leaves in the morning. Cullen watches her, eyes narrowed, something inside of him stirring, paranoia and caution. She attempts to give him a wide birth, but he's deceptively quick for a man in full armor.

“Hey” Cullen grabs Shora's arm, she has two options here, react and remove his hold, possibly giving herself away, or...allow it. Given that she is trying to remain incognito she allows it. For now. “What were you doing? What were you talking about?” Shora remains silent, her head down. “Answer me” he orders of her, his fingers tightening around her arm.

“What's going on here?” Astrid asks as she and Miva approach the two of them.

“Herald” Cullen greets releasing Shora. “Lady Trevelyan...Your lady's maid was talking with some of the other servants.....they dispersed as soon as I was spotted”

“And they are not allowed to converse?” Astrid asks him, Cullen blushes slightly and rubs the back of his neck.

“That was not what I was saying” He answers her. “It simply seemed...suspicious”

“Ooo people stood huddled together talking” Astrid teases. “How very....clandestine” Miva smirks at her side as Cullen realizes how unreasonable he had been. He turns to Shora.

“My apologies” he whispers. “Everything has been so tense the last few weeks, still...that is no excuse” she nods a little and moves to stand with Astrid. “Is there a way I could make it up to you both?” Cullen asks Astrid and Shora, Astrid raises an eyebrow and looks to Shora who shrugs a little.

“If I think of anything” Astrid turns back to Cullen. “I'll be sure to let you know” Cullen nods and then clears his throat.

“If that will be all” he starts. “I'll get back to my reports” he turns and flees them, Astrid smirks a little watching him go, highly amused that that puppy dog is the leader of the Inquisition forces. Shora relaxes once he's out of sight. Too close. Way too close. She has to get out of here. She turns to Miva.

“Astrid is remaining here,” Shora tells her, Miva then glances at the noblewoman who nods in reassurance. “She's a very loyal, very capable, very....focused young woman, she'll look out for you” Miva relaxes a little. “And I will have a new initiate come from Orlais, he requires some fine-tuning and I think Astrid would be the best fit for him....you'll have two Rooks for you to use at your discretion” Shora gives her a look. “And I mean discretion, we're supposed to be an independent organization free from political sway, I cannot be seen to be favoring sides here”

“I know” Miva assures her. “But this isn't about politics”

“Of course it is” Shora corrects. “An organization founded by the faithful...and we all know how hands-on the Chantry has always been with politics” Miva pulls a face and looks down. “And...with the templars in your ranks,” Shora adds. “You really think none of this is about politics?”

“They are ex-templars, surely that counts for something?” Miva asks her.

“I have yet to see anything that tells me otherwise, they are just the same as their brethren” Miva nods a little, knows that Shora's hatred of the Templars runs deep, because she had loved them so much, she had aspired to join them, and at every turn they let her down, hurt her, she knows why Shora is so closed off to persuasion when it comes to Templars. If there is a change, then she has to witness it for herself. Miva has reason to hate them just as Shora does, they took Miva's uncle away from her, and there have been many of her own clan that has been set upon by the order. “But I will help you, da'len” Shora assures Miva. “I will always attempt to help one of the people and I would never abandon my own blood....” Miva smiles warmly at her and nods in thanks. “I have a few things to finish up and then I will be leaving....be careful with these shems, I would hate to lose another family member to one of their wars” Shora touches Miva's arm and gives her a sad smile, Miva places her free hand over Shora's hand. 

"I'll be careful, I promise...." Miva assures her. 


	10. Chapter Six

Shora hears heavy footsteps approaching the tent she lingers in, she doesn't know why she came here but she just found herself drawn to it. She knows it's Cullen's tent. She runs her fingers over the top of the small desk. Can see a version of Cullen slumped over his reports, writing away. This version of him is ethereal. A past version. Only available through her eyes. Her 'eagle eyes' as her family used to call it. Gives her the sight of the birds. To see what others do not. She watches as Cullen stands from his desk and leaves the tent. She blinks and pulls her vision back. Her free fingers curl around something in her other hand before she lowers her eyes to it. A small carved figurine. A knight. She turns and sets it onto the cot, careful and neat against the pillow, pride of place before she ducks out of the tent and takes a deep inhale of the cold night sky. Her fingers tingle slightly from where the wood had been pressed to her palm. That figurine meant everything to her when she was younger.

….........

The tent flaps open and Cullen steps inside letting out a sigh, his safe haven, his space within the village that's his and his alone. He reaches up to pull off his pauldrons before he pauses. He blinks a little staring down at the carved figure on the cot. It wasn't there when he left, and he's pretty sure it shouldn't be here at all. He knows that figure. It's one of a kind. He'd asked the local carpenter to make it as a gift for Wintersend, Shora had never celebrated it before as it was an Andrastian holiday. His fingers twitch as he reaches for it. He was so excited he ran to give it to Shora, but fell and broke the sword tip from the figurine, he'd used hide glue to stick it back together but it left its mark on it. This is his gift, the one he gave to Shora. What is it doing here? His mind races before he moves. Sweeping the flaps of his tent open to step out into the open. No one else is around, a few whispers from a few soldiers at a fire a few rows over but no one else, no one out of the ordinary. No one that shouldn't be here. His heart pounds in his chest, his fingers curling tightly around the figurine.

“Cullen?” Cassandra's voice shakes him out of his inner turmoil, he turns towards the female warrior, his hand coming around his back to hide the figurine. Cassandra appears to be on the way to the Chantry, a few reports tucked under her arm. “Are you all right, you look like you have seen a spirit?”

“I thought I heard something” Cullen lies, and he's terrible at it, but somehow he manages to pass this one-off. “It's nothing” he adds relaxing his stance slightly. “What are you doing wandering around this early?” he asks her, Cassandra motions to the reports.

“I wanted to double-check the young Herald's penmanship before these were sent off” Cassandra admits. “Her...handwriting could use some improvement” Cullen seems distracted still, but so is Cassandra, her mind always working a million miles an hour, working on the next step in their plan, so she misses Cullen's distraction. Perhaps he can talk to Leliana about this. His fingers tighten around the figurine. Her agents will have seen someone coming or going. Someone has to have seen something. “I shall leave you to your morning,” Cassandra tells Cullen, her feet already carrying her away from him. Cullen lets out a breath and closes his eyes before bringing the figurine from his back. Opening his eyes he looks down, finds he clung so hard to it he broke the skin of his palm.

…..........

Leliana stands at the war table, her eyes on the small knight figurine because it is new, and not one of their map markers, this is too well made, whoever made this has extensive and impressive carpentry skills. She looks up and across at Cullen as he picks up one of his map markers and sets it aside, no longer needed thanks to the information in the missive in his hand.

“This is adorable” Leliana states picking up the figurine. “Where did it come from?” Cullen glances at her and then to the figurine. He has no idea why he brought it into the room with him, he's actually been rather reluctant to part with it since he found it.

“It's mine” Cullen admits as he takes it from her. “I...just...” he shrugs and sets it back onto the war table, setting it over the map point of Honnleath. Leliana watches his face as his features shift between hurt and surprise and confusion.

“Cullen?” Leliana asks him. Cullen takes a breath and looks at her.

“Were there any weird reports from the troops camp this morning?” He asks her back, she frowns and shakes her head.

“No” she answers. “Nothing. Did something happen? Do I need to have words with my agents?”

“No, no, of course not....” his eyes are on the figurine. “I must have just forgotten I had it with me” Leliana continues to study him as Cullen goes back to his reports. This time, the lie is seen. It is very difficult to get one passed Leliana, it is why she is the spymaster after all. But he keeps his eyes down, willing her to drop it, to leave it. He's not sure he wants an answer. He can't bear the idea that getting information on Shora will come back and he'll discover she's dead, that she's been dead all this time. After everything he's been through, that news would break him. He'd hoped all these years that she moved on with her clan. Survived the Blight. Survived Kirkwall. Maybe married an elf. Had babies. Been happy. That's where she is in his head because the alternatives are....he can't deal with the alternatives. The door to the war room opens and Cassandra enters followed closely by Miva and Joesphine. Cullen lifts his eyes to look at the three women. Most men would perhaps find taking orders from strong women a problem, but Cullen doesn't. He prefers it. These women are by far the strongest he has ever met, and are not easily corrupted. Miva smiles at him, the sort of smile that shows her...infatuation. Cullen has tried to steer clear of that. He's not interested in her. In anyone, to be honest, he never has been. He blamed his duty and his service but maybe it's because of something else. Maybe it's because of him. His experiences perhaps. 


	11. Chapter Seven

Shora finds being back in the Rookery sort of....quiet now. She always gets like this after traveling. Lonely. Even when the Rookery has recruits and trainees coming and going all the time, even with Zevran. She sits at her dressing table, her hairbrush in her hand, her eyes shift to the mirror in front of her as Zevran appears.

“You know” Zevran states as he leans in the doorway, Shora sighs a little as she sweeps her hair around her neck and over her shoulder to brush it. “Sometimes I forget how beautiful you are under all those layers of black” Shora rolls her eyes, turning from him.

“Stop it” she scolds setting her brush down and then stands. Zevran's eyes find the piles of papers on her table, he cocks his head.

“What are these?” he asks as he moves the blueprints around to look at those under them, Shora moves towards the desk and sighs.

“Nothing” she answers trying to take them away from him. “Just some ideas I was working on” she flushes slightly embarrassed, she always is when it comes to inventing. It's not something widely encouraged. Warriors like their traditional designs, rogues like their simple bows and not many improvements can be made to the mage staff. Mostly her designs and ideas are kept within the Rooks. The assassins get hidden blade upgrades and that's about it. These designs, these new ones, are for something entirely different.

“Are you going to make them?” He asks her.

“Not like I can” she argues. “I would need lyrium sand or...gaatlok, some form of explosive...."

“Buke might have some contacts” Zevran comments. “Even Salit”

“No” She argues. “No, I would not involve them in something like this, there is not even a guarantee that it would work”

“You know, I have a friend,” Zevran tells her. “You met, a long time ago” she frowns at him.

“The qunari?” she asks him, he nods.

“Sten is Arishok now” She snorts a little. “I could reach out”

“No” Shora argues. “No...it's...these designs are...not meant to be made” she tidies them away.

“If they give us an edge against the templars” He offers, she sighs and shakes her head.

“And if they themselves get their hands on these.....” she starts. “It would be worse, better to just....keep them to myself” she moves and sets the designs into a lockable draw. She is right, these weapon designs would be dangerous, and she cannot let anyone else get their hands on them. Especially the templars. Zevran watches her, knowing how much her inventions mean to her. It's something she inherited from her father, her love of creating something new, of making something existing better. It's one of the only things that makes her truly happy, something in her life not ruled by templars or the rooks. She lights up when she's hunched over her designs. It's possibly the only time she truly smiles any more. He leaves her be, seeing the look on her face, she wants to be left alone. Shora takes a deep breath and sits on her bed before scooting back to sit comfortably. She plucks a hand-carved, beautifully painted box from her bedside table and sets it in her lap. A music box. It is all she has left of her mother. She lifts the lid and the music starts to play. She grew up never hearing a single word from her. The Qun having taken her tongue from her because she had magic. But that never stopped her from showing both Shora and Rasha how much she loved them both. Through music. Through magic. Shora smiles sadly listening to the tune, her eyes misting. She always gets like this when she is lonely, missing her mother, her father, her brother, her entire clan. Miva and Deshanna are all the family she has left, and they lived with a different clan all those years. She has no one left. Shora snaps the box shut and takes a deep breath pushing down all those feelings. She cannot feel sorry for herself, not when she was the one to leave the clan behind, but what did she have to stay for?

…............

Astrid stands beside Josephine, just behind them Leliana and Cullen linger, neither wanting to be there but knowing they must be. Miva fumbles with her hands, nervous. She is an elf, dalish, and she gets this way around nobility. A dalish elf in this sort of position makes her nervous. How easily they can turn away from her for simply being born an elf. Miva holds her breath as the carriage door is opened and boots step down from the carriage and Miva swears she's never seen anyone that handsome before. His hair is soft and bouncy with his movements, a nice soft face, the softness of nobility. Eyes sharp and the brightest, warmest blue. Those eyes land on Miva and unlike most that meet her, he doesn't cringe or turn his nose up at the sight of her ears and her vallaslin. He smiles brightly and walks towards her.

“Baron Arno Victor Dorian” He offers with a smirk before bowing overdramatically, Miva raises an eyebrow at him as he straightens up again. “At your service, your worship”

“You are Orlesian nobility?” Miva asks him.

“Well...My father was Duke Charles Dorian, I gained my title through him, even though I was mostly raised by Knight-Commander François de la Serre of the Orlesian Templar Order.....” Miva raises a surprised eyebrow, knowing that Arno is now part of the Rooks. “I keep the title....” he whispers slightly. “Helps me help others” he and Miva share a look, she smiles a little and nods. Nobility that is nobility to help others, is incredibly rare.

“And what is it you do?” Miva asks him.

“He owns many stores across Orlais” Josephine offers. “Trading in fine fabrics and tailoring, some of the best in the entire Orlesian empire”

“You flatter, Lady Montilyet, and that flattery should be for my tailors, my designers....and not for me, I simply pay them and supply them...they are the true artists” Arno argues humbly.

“You must have seen one of them whilst in Val Royeux” Leliana adds. “It is the only store in the city that is managed by an elf” Arno nods in agreement. Miva raises an eyebrow in surprise and glances at Arno who nods.

“Race doesn't matter when it comes to skill” Arno assures her, Miva softens slightly at the sentiment. Not many of the nobility will agree with Arno, or even Astrid, in the coming months, but it means a lot that they are here now and pledging their help. 


	12. Chapter Eight

Shora sits cross-legged on a crate watching her recruits train, there are only five of them for now, most of them have been sent out across Thedas to investigate what is going on with the Breach and all the organizations, seeing what they are doing to help....other than the Inquisition, no one is doing anything. Well...even the Rooks aren't getting involved yet. They are still a young organization and doing something or nothing will increase their notoriety, and they might just not be ready for that sort of fame yet.

“I have some requests for you to look over” Zevran states as he moves to her side, Shora looks at him as he hands her a collection of missives but he holds one back.

“What about that one?” Shora asks reaching for it, Zevran pulls it back away from her hand.

“It's....strange” Zevran admits, Shora raises an eyebrow at him. “Normally when we receive requests, they come from cities, occasionally towns or smaller villages, but this” he holds out the request in his hand to her. “This is a request from the Hinterlands, a location that says...Fort Connor....we never get called to forts” Shora takes the request and lets out a breath.

“It is hardly a fort any longer” she informs him. “It was in ruins the last time I passed it”

“Even more concerning....” he admits. “Plus...they ask for you, most will ask for someone, anyone, but this is asking for you specifically....and only you”

“Whilst that can be out of the ordinary, people have asked specifically for me before...”

“Not in such a way, and not in a secluded location....” Zevran shifts closer to her. “Forgive me, my dear, for implying a lack of awareness that this may be a trap, and rather possibly an attempt on your life”

“I am not so stupid to have not figured that out myself” She scolds him. “But it is not the first time that a trap has been laid, and with an awareness that it is a trap I'll be walking into is half the battle....”

“Implying that you are still going to go?” he asks her.

“Of course I am” She answers. “I'd rather deal with this threat now, because it will likely come back and bite my perfectly formed backside in force in the future” Zevran sighs a little but nods, she is right, nip it in the bud now before it gets worse.

“At least don't go alone....” Zevran offers. “Just in case....”

“Very well, I'll contact Miva, have her, Astrid, and Arno join me, does that please you, Listener?” Zevran shoots her a look and nods.

“Yes, better. You are our leader, Shora, without you....we're lost” She sighs a little. “Perhaps you should consider setting contingencies in place, just in case” Shora takes a breath and nods. She should. With the way the world is at the moment, the chances of them surviving are slim, and things need to be in place to protect the Rooks.

…..........

“I have a friend that has sent a request for help” Astrid offers stood across the war table from Cullen, Leliana, and Josephine. Cassandra and Miva stand on either side of Astrid. “She's supposed to be meeting a potential........client in the Hinterlands, but the state of the land as it is....”

“She would prefer to have protection” Cassandra realizes. “And it is a wise course of action”

“What is it she does?” Leliana asks, Astrid and Miva share a look before Astrid turns back to Leliana.

“She...works with the less fortunate” Astrid answers. Miva smirks a little looking down. It is pretty much what Shora does. She helps the little people stay safe, to save them from those that would oppress them, to save them from those that do them harm. It is as close of an explanation without giving her away. “And she would not venture into the Hinterlands unless this was important....”

“Of course we'll go” Miva assures her, Astrid knew she would agree given that Shora is her family. Miva turns to Cullen. “Perhaps we could take this opportunity for you to join us with your soldiers to build those watchtowers for Dennet” Cullen raises an eyebrow, notes the soft look in Miva's eyes, she wants him to join them, mostly for the watchtowers, but also because she wants to 'get to know him'. She hasn't really been all that subtle about it.

…...........

Shora arrives at Fort Connor first, so she goes closer to have a look, she probably should wait for her backup but she's nosy and stubborn and perfectly capable of doing things herself, she always has done, she always will do. It's quiet. Empty save for the veins of red lyrium inside, she wrinkles her nose, she'll make a note of it later and send word to the Inquisition about it. She won't go near it for now. She takes a few steps back and glances around the rest of the room. There is a clatter behind her, approaching footsteps, she relaxes slightly.

“About time” she comments and turns around, her hackles back up, because it's not her backup, it's a group of Templars, a lot of Templars. “Oh,” she states and cocks her head. Normally if they send Templars after her, it is one or two, they went for an entire pack this time, six of them. “You got smart” Shora takes a breath and pulls a sword from her scabbard, she spins the blade and nods. “Alright,” she tells the Templars approach her. “Let's do this!” she stands defensive and strong, even if her heart is pounding in her chest, she's never taken on this many Templars on her own before, and never full-on, she usually takes one or two from the shadows with her hidden blade or a knife to the throat. 


	13. Chapter Nine

Miva fidgets as she walks beside Arno and Astrid, Cullen, Cassandra and Solas follow behind them, watching their backs. Miva is nervous. She's not been involved in the Rooks to this level before, and she's concerned for Shora, being this far out into the Hinterlands before the Inquisition has had a chance to do anything to fix the land. They haven't had a chance to get started. It was next on her list to do, venture into the Hinterlands and aid the refugees here. They need help. They need them to do something to save them.

“Relax,” Astrid tells Miva. “We'll get there when we get there....she's smart enough to wait”

“Does she usually ask for help for something like this?” Cassandra asks, Astrid and Arno share a look before Arno sighs.

“No” Arno admits. “Not for a simple meeting” Astrid shoots Arno a look to shut up.

“It is possible this client is unlike any she has before, and she wants to be sure about it” Astrid adds, trying to placate them. She doesn't want Miva to worry and she doesn't want to give anything away. “Plus with the Inquisition offering aid to others, she may think that you can help in ways she cannot”

…......

The small group reaches Fort Connor and it's silent. Not even a single animal. Arno and Astrid share a look, that's not a good sign. Miva gasps a little when they enter the ruined fort. Because it's a blood bath, Templar bodies litter the ground of the courtyard. Cullen places his hand on his sword as he looks around them all, his brothers in arms gone. All dead. Those twisted and poisoned with red lyrium they were once part of an order he was sworn to. The others walk around the battlefield graveyard.

“Is there anyone left alive?” Miva asks crouching over a dead Templar.

“Doesn't appear to be” Cassandra answers. “Is your contact here?” Cassandra asks, Astrid pulls the helmet off a Templar and sighs.

“I cannot see her” Astrid admits as Arno kicks another Templar, checking he's dead. Cullen crouches in front of the all clothed figure, she is out of place among the Templars. Her clothing different. But she is no refugee or traveler. She's too well-armed. Her sword just out of reach of her hand. She sucks in a harsh and pained breath, Cullen reaches forward for her, his head turning to the others.

“This one is alive!” he admits lifting Shora up into his arms, there is a pool of blood where she had been slumped. “She's injured” he states moving towards them. Astrid and Arno move, fast, running towards Cullen.

…..........

“Put her down” Solas scolds clearing the table inside the fort. “Quickly” Cullen sets Shora down onto the table as the others gather around to watch Solas work. He reaches for the buttons on her jacket.

“No!” Both Astrid and Arno scold, Cassandra turns to them.

“To heal her, the armor must come off” Solas scolds.

“You do know who this is, right?” Cassandra asks as she steps closer to the pair. “The Night Mother of the Rooks, we have a chance at finally knowing who she truly is” Cullen raises an eyebrow.

“The Rooks?” he asks them. “The assassins?” his eyes move back down to Shora. “This is their leader? What was she doing out here?”

“I told you” Astrid answers. “She was here to meet a client....” She glances back at the Templar bodies. “Guess she was right about it being a trap”

“You knew it was a trap?” Miva asks annoyed now, Astrid made no mention to this possibly being a trap, that put her cousin in danger, her family in danger.

“She asked for backup” Astrid reminds her. “Since when does the Night Mother need help to meet someone?”

“You're Rooks” Cassandra realizes looking between Astrid and Arno.

“Yes,” Arno answers as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Night Mother asked for myself and Speaker Astrid to watch over Miva” Miva looks down, warmed by that.

“Why would she do that?” Cassandra asks.

“Because...She's my cousin” Miva admits quietly. Cassandra raises an eyebrow back at her, processing the information.

“The Night Mother is....an elf?” Solas and Miva shoot her a look.

“Why can't she be?” Miva counters.

“No, that's...” Cassandra starts to defend herself. “It's not an issue of race, it's an issue with height...” Cassandra motions to Shora. “There is no way an elf is that tall”

“She is” Miva argues pointing at Shora. Whilst they have been talking, Solas has managed to unbutton Shora's Night Mother jacket to reach the multiple sword wounds. He takes a breath and hovers his hand over the worst of them. He won't have enough mana to heal them all at once, it will take time, and probably better if someone trained in healing magic did it. He pulls his hand back and turns to face the others.

“Her wounds are extensive” Solas admits. “I will do what I can for her here, but she needs a healer” he leans back. “We need to get her back to Haven” Cullen turns and looks down at Shora, her hood having been removed he sees her, the real her underneath, his eyes widening with recognition and shock. She's older, but he'd recognize her anywhere, her skin, that earring in her left ear, the small nick in the tip where he'd accidentally struck her with a sword when they were practicing. She's here. And wounded. Dying maybe.

“Commander?” Cassandra asks noting his eyes on Shora.

“Yes?” he jerks up realizing, his eyes finding Cassandra.

“Can you carry her?” Cullen looks back at Shora and then nods a little, swallowing his emotions, he will think about this later, he will worry about her later. He leans down and gently shifts Shora until he can pick her up. Her head lulls against his shoulder, Cullen's arms tighten around her, fear coursing through him, he's found her, but he might just lose her if they don't get back quick about. Despite her height, she feels tiny in his arms, Fragile. He knows he has to be careful with her. She groans in pain and he looks down at her sadly, finds her eyes open and staring up at him. Tears gather in her eyes.

“Ir abelas” she mumbles pained. “Ma'lanasta, 'ma falon” Cullen frowns at her, ashamed that he's forgotten the little elven she taught him all those years ago. He looks up and meets Solas' eyes, he raises an eyebrow at the warrior who clears his throat and looks away. 


	14. Chapter Ten

Solas manages to keep Shora alive for the journey back, before the healers take over, basically ferrying her off to Adan's cabin, away from Cullen who stares after her. It was touch and go on the journey back, a few times they were all sure she was actually dead. Two weeks of Solas pushing his magic to keep her alive, of Astrid and Arno, run ragged with their worry for her, Miva crying softly trying to hide it from them. Cullen hasn't slept either, keeping his distance from her but staying close to make sure she lives. Cullen rubs his head and lets out a breath.

“Cullen?” Miva asks, he turns to her, finds her eyes watching him with concern. “Are you alright?” 

“I am fine” he answers. “It was just a long trip back....and we didn't even start the watchtowers” he rubs the back of his neck.

“I apologize” Miva whispers. “I didn't think things would be so bad with Shora” she offers. “I...” Cullen softens, whilst Shora was his friend, she is Miva's family and Miva is terrified she's going to lose her mother figure.

“Go and sit with her,” Cullen tells her. “I am sure she'll want a friendly face to wake up to” Miva smiles and nods a little before hurrying off after the healers. Cullen sighs and closes his eyes before walking the other way, away from Shora.

…...........

Cullen gives up trying to read his reports, he can't concentrate on them knowing Shora is in Haven and suffering. He sets the reports down and brushes his hands over his face with a drawn-out breath before he is standing and leaving the tent.

…..........

Cullen shouldn't be nervous about seeing Shora, the chances are she won't even remember him, or recognize him. It's been 16 years since he left to join the Templars. But then again...he instantly recognized her. Hard not to. She is one of a kind. He takes a strengthening breath and then steps into Adan's cabin. Miva sleeps, all curled up and tightly coiled in an armchair in the corner, the healers and Adan aren't present implying they are more than happy she is going to pull through. Cullen takes a breath and moves closer to where Shora lays, her waist and stomach all wrapped in bandages, a blanket covering her legs and waist. Cullen rests his sword against the work table and then sits next to the cot. He touches her arm, there are scars along the length of it, old and healed. He hates seeing her like this. With the pained pinch of her eyebrows, he knows she's in so much pain.

“Ash” he states as he reaches up and brushes her hair from her face. She's still caked in blood, not as much as when they found her but still enough that's worrying, some might actually be fresh. Cullen glances around the room and spots the bowl of clean water on the side. He tries to be quiet as he stands from the seat, grabs the bowl of water and a cloth from the side before returning to his seat, setting the bowl on the table next to the cot. He gently washes the blood from her skin, careful of her, she's already in pain and he will not add to it. Across the room, Miva watches him carefully. Watches the way he takes care of Shora. It's soft. Hesitant. Not the sort of touch that's given to a stranger.

“Cullen?” He jumps, dropping the cloth into the water with a splash, he turns to Miva and clears his throat. “What are you doing?” she asks him, he is aware of how this looks. He snuck into clean their sick and injured new addition.

“I...” Cullen starts. “There is nothing I can say here that will make this better” he admits and sighs.

“The truth would” Miva offers as she stands from the chair, uncurling herself out of the tiny space. “You know her” she accuses. Cullen nods.

“I-yes” He admits and sighs. “I knew her...” He looks down at Shora. “We were children” he adds. “It was a long time ago” he looks back at Miva who raises an eyebrow at him. “It doesn't matter anymore”

“If you came in here to take care of her, it means it still matters, Cullen” Miva assures him softly, he gives her a small smile and nods.

“She was my best friend” he admits. “We were...going to join the Templars together” Miva's features soften. “They wouldn't let her” he motions to his own ears. “Elves weren't allowed in the Templars....”

“But you still went” Miva offers, he nods. “I'm sorry, Cullen” he glances at Shora. “It must have been hard for you both, being away from one another”

“I wrote” He admits. “She never...I never got anything back” he touches Shora's arm before he takes her hand. “What happened?” he asks, Miva moves closer to them.

“Well...I don't really think I should be the one to tell you” Miva answers.

“Please” he begs, he needs to know how Shora became this person.

“Cullen” Miva scolds. “If she wants you to know, she should be the one to tell you her story” He hangs his head and nods. Understands. He takes a breath and clutches to Shora's hand a little.

“I never thought I'd see her again” He admits, Miva smiles sadly. “I had this...image in my head, of the life she had outside of the Templars....grow up, gotten married to another of her clan, had children....”

“That wasn't ever really in her cards” Miva offers softly. “Shora's not really the settling down type....” he snorts and glances to the assassin uniform on the side.

“No, I guess she's not” he comments fondly. He loved that she was wild as a child, different even from her own people. She was happy among the humans, happy to talk to them, to take one as her friend whilst the other elves would hide away in the trees. She had a thirst for knowledge that rivaled his own. Settling down would have suited her poorly. Normality isn't her. He smiles softly and nods a little. Miva smiles too, but she sees something he might not be aware of in himself. Whilst Miva has an attraction to Cullen, she won't deny it, what he feels for Shora is something far greater.

“Look after her” Miva states, Cullen frowns up at her. He seems to miss the hidden message to her statement, he'll get it one day, hopefully. “I need to change...and eat” he nods and watches as Miva leaves the cabin. Cullen lifts Shora's hand to his cheek and leans into it as he takes a deep breath. “Though stung with a hundred arrows” he recites. “Though suffering from ailments both great and small, His Heart was strong, and he moved on. The deep dark before dawn's first light seems eternal, But know that the sun always rises. Though the lands suffer a thousand wrongs, The Maker yet notices the smallest of deeds” he looks at Shora. “Maker watch over her” he pleads. 


	15. Chapter Eleven

Cullen jerks awake where he is sat. Still at Shora's bedside, but the bed is empty, he frowns and glances up to find Shora putting her Rook's uniform back on, she is still pale from her blood loss and she really shouldn't be on her feet just yet, she should still be resting. Not planning....whatever she is planning.

“What are you doing?” He asks leaning back in the seat, Shora's hand pause on the last buckle of her jacket before she continues as if he hasn't spoken. “Ashshora” he warns, she drops her hands and turns to him.

“Yes?” she asks him. He stands and steps closer to her.

“Do you even know who I am?” He asks her, she scoffs as he searches her eyes.

“Don't be ridiculous” she scolds. “Of course I know who you are, Cullen”

“You're looking at me as if you don't” he points out, she sighs a little and shrugs.

“It's been a long time and we've both changed....” she offers as she pulls her hood up over her head. “You...” she motions over him. “Got what you always wanted” she shakes her head. “And I.....started the Rooks”

“You kill people” he points out, scolding, accusing, she turns and glares at him.

“I kill people?” she hisses at him, Cullen steps back surprised at her tone. “As if Templars haven't killed their fair share” she accuses right back. He raises an eyebrow in question. “Templars are the real enemy,” she tells him fiercely.

“Ash” he whispers. “Whatever they did....that's not a reflection on the whole order”

“My father” she admits. “They killed...” she sinks slightly. “My father” she chokes out, admitting it out loud to him, to a Templar, it tugs on old feelings.

“Sileal?” Cullen asks. “He died?”

“He was murdered” she answers, snaps at him, quickly correcting him. “By Templars....” Cullen steps closer to her now. “An order I idolized....an order I thought was to do good...and they....they treated him like he was some....” she takes a breath. “Like he was some Maleficar. Do you know what he was doing? What they saw him doing that warranted his death?”

“No” Cullen whispers sadly.

“He was cleaning my mother's grave, laying flowers, reading to her in elvhen, they called it demon tongue....that he was performing a ritual” she whispers and looks down. “They strung him up” Cullen swallows already knowing where this goes. “Hung him from a tree” she looks at him, her eyes hard, and pained. “I found him, swinging there.....I had to cut him down....” Cullen closes his eyes, a few tears running down his cheek because, despite the fact he was a human, Sileal was always kind to him. Helped to teach him elvhen. Helped to teach him how to wield a bow. Taught him what plants were safe to eat and which weren't. “I tracked them down, the Templars, they were in the tavern.....and they were laughing and drinking....as if they hadn't just taken a father from his family....they didn't care. The last of my admiration for those people” She spits out. Her hatred for the Templars obvious in her tone. He feels terrible, because it was him that introduced her to the order. It was him that hyped her up about them. “Shattered...So I waited...followed them...” she smirks darkly. “Put a set of halla antlers on my head, played on the whole...Dalish savagery and then I killed them” she smirks at him. “And it felt good....so I kept killing” she shrugs. “And killing, and killing. I was good at it...I am good at it” Cullen stares at her, studying her. She's so angry. At everything. At the world. He got the life he wanted, joining the Templars, just as he always wanted. And what did she get? Dead father and brother and a fast track to becoming a murderer for hire. He should never have gone with the Templars. He should have stayed and protected her. “Is that what you wanted to know?” she asks him, he hangs his head. “Seems you did alright for yourself, huh, Commander?” she adds, pushes past him and leaves the cabin. Cullen swallows a little and closes his eyes. He understands her upset, but it still hurts. He knows how excited she used to be about the Templars, and they broke her heart. Killed her family. Warped the girl he knew into someone so different. He takes a breath and runs his fingers through his hair.

…................

Shora takes a deep breath leaning back against the cabin, her emotions flooding through her. She is usually so in control. So steadfast. But talking about her father. Thinking about her family.

“Are you alright?” she jerks up, surprised, her eyes finding Solas, he watches her, she clears her throat and nods before she turns away from him. “How are your injuries?” he asks her, she touches her stomach and nods.

“Fine, the mages did their job” she answers as she leans up, trying to hide the cringe, the mages had done their job, but they weren't finished. She is still sore, and in pain, and it would likely take another two sessions to heal her fully. But she cannot stay here. She cannot be around Cullen, her anger and her disappointment still so strong, having been festering beneath the surface for all this time. She thought she dealt with it, but seeing him again, talking to him again, it just....all came rushing back. “Would you like some herbal tea?” he asks her. “It might help”

“No, thank you, I should be going” She answers leaning up from the wall.

“If you leave now, you will only hurt yourself further” He scolds. “And we did not work so hard to keep you alive for you to go and get yourself killed” she sighs, but concedes, he is right. He motions to his cabin and she follows him inside. 


	16. Chapter Twelve

Cullen leans on the war table, his eyes staring down at Honnelath. His conversation with Shora still playing on repeat in his head. He can't believe how far she's come, how much she's changed. How much they both have. It hurts him to think that she's spent all these years alone and in pain. He should have tried harder to stay in touch with her. The door opens and Miva walks in, shaking out her hair, it's raining and they all hate it. The refugees in the camps sheltering in the tavern and the Chantry. The troops are slower in their training because they don't want to be running drills in the rain. Hence why Cullen let them all off and he's hiding in the war room.

"That rain is cold" Miva complains as she rubs at her ears, the tips red with the cold. Cullen offers her a small smile and nods in agreement. "Can I ask you something?" Miva asks of Cullen who raises an eyebrow and nods.

"Of course" he leans up.

"What was she like?" Miva asks him, he cocks his head. "Shora" she elaborates. "When she was a kid, I didn't meet her until she was in her 20s and she was...." Miva motions out the door. "That person, all hard and strong"

"Well, she was always strong" Cullen assures her. "But she was also very kind" Cullen adds. "Incredibly smart...thoughtful and brave" he shrugs. "I barely recognize her now"

"She's been through a lot" Miva offers, Cullen nods in agreement.

"I had no idea things got that bad" he looks to Miva. "If I'd known...."

"What could you have done, Cullen?" She asks him sadly, she knows that there was nothing that could have been done to save Shora's future, it is as it is because it is what it is meant to be, he shrugs. "What is it that you Andrastians like to say....that the Maker gives you trials to overcome..." Cullen smiles a little. "Trials that make you stronger, gives you your place in the world"

"So she is who she is because the Maker willed it so?" Cullen asks Miva, she shrugs a little.

"It is one way to look at it. Shora became who she is because of everything that happened to her, if none of that happened....where would she be now?" Miva asks him. "With her clan?" she adds. "They died in Kirkwall....all of them, well, all the ones that matter anyway, that would be her fate too" Cullen nods a little. "Everything that happened, saved her life"

"Thank you, Herald," Cullen tells her. "I hadn't thought of it that way" He glances at Miva. "Do you know if she's left yet?" Cullen asks, Miva shrugs.

"I haven't seen her" Miva admits. "She disappears when she wants" Cullen nods and looks down. He takes a breath, he was hoping for a chance to apologize. To start over with her. She was his best friend, and he's missed her.

"Where is she living?" he asks her.

"Here," she tells him before she taps on the map, his eyes lower to see where she points to. Honnleath. "Her Rookery is here"

"Honnleath?" he asks, she nods.

"Yeah. In the crypts" she answers. Cullen can't take his eyes off of the map. She went home. He lets out a breath. "She.." Miva starts and then stops. "During the Blight, she left her clan in the Brecillian forest and went to the village to help..." Cullen lifts his eyes, they're wide with disbelief, certain things now making sense in his mind, things his sisters had put in a letter. "When it was over, she helped them rebuild and...stayed" Miva smiles. "They look after her and she looks after them" She remembers her time there, the village was by far one of, if the most, welcoming to her. The humans treated her with respect and humanity.

...........

Cullen riffles through a box on his desk, letters from his parents, his sisters, his brother, his nephew all spill out and scatter. He's looking for one specific letter. An old one. He finds it buried beneath one from his mother, the last one from his mother, before the Blight. He grazes his fingers over that letter before picking up the one from Mia. He unfolds the parchment, eyes scanning over the words. He knew something about what Miva said sat with him. His sister, Mia talks of a hooded figure that came to the aid of the village. Fought off darkspawn, giving them time to flee. She talks of swearing the mystery figure had pointed ears and golden tattoos. He should have realized sooner. He smiles softly.

"Oh, Ash" he whispers looking up from the letter.

...............

Shora sits on a bench by a fire, a leg pulled up under herself, she's covered and hidden within her Rook uniform. Cullen takes a moment to watch her, she's writing away in a journal or a notebook. Her uniform is like nothing he's ever seen before. It's smart but practical at the same time. Dark, every item black or grey except for her shawl and cloak which are a deep red and her gloves which are dark brown, he knows Miva wears the same gloves. He wonders if it's a Rook thing, or a Dalish thing. His eyes shift to the charcoal between her fingers, not writing, drawing. She used to draw all the time. Always some fanciful sketch, some design of something or other. Always trying to make things better. He smiles thinking about it. About all the little sketches and doodles. He takes a deep breath and approaches her, bypasses a couple huddled together in front of the fire, whispering and chuckling with one another. He clears his throat standing next to the bench. Shora barely acknowledges him. Her eyes shifting slightly before going back to her writing.

"Miva told me you went back to Honnleath" Cullen states, Shora hums a little. "That you helped the village during the Blight" she nods. "You helped my family"

"I remember," she tells him, lifting her eyes to meet his, "I'm sorry I couldn't save them all, that I couldn't save your parents" he shakes his head and steps closer to her.

"When Mia wrote and told me an elf saved them.....I never thought it could have been you" he whispers. "But you...risked your life, crossed Ferelden during a Blight to help one village" she shrugs a little and picks at the loose nail on the bench. "To help my family. My sisters and my brother are alive....because of you" he sits beside her and takes a breath. "I...Thank you" he glances at her. "And I'm sorry" he adds, she takes a breath and lifts her eyes to his. "For the way I reacted yesterday. And I am sorry about Sileal" he whispers. "He was a good man" she nods in agreement.

"I had no one left" she admits. "Everyone I had ever cared for was dead...or left"

"I wrote to you," he tells her. "I reached out"

"I know"

"You never replied"

"I was mad at you" she snaps a little as she looks at him. "We trained together, we grew up together, we were supposed to join the Templars....together" Cullen nods and looks down. "But you left and didn't even look back" she takes a shaky breath. Cullen hangs his head."I know" he whispers sadly. She reaches up and scratches at her ear, there are scars along it where she tried to cut them off, being rejected from the Templars because she was an elf was heartbreaking for her. So much so, she tried to remove her ears. "I was a stupid kid"

"No" she stops him. "No, that's....you were never a stupid kid, Cullen, and that's part of why it hurt...because I didn't think you had that in you"

"Ash" he breathes softly. She shakes her head. 

"It doesn't matter now" She stops him as she wraps an arm around her stomach. She's aching. Solas had warned her to stay in bed but that's not who she is. 

"Are you in pain?" he asks, his hand reaching for her, she shifts out of his way, so he can't touch her. "Ash"

"No" she stops him. "No, I'm fine" she whispers and closes her eyes. 

"Why won't you let me see your face?" he asks her. "You keep yourself covered...." She laughs humourlessly and then scoffs. 

"I keep myself covered so people don't look at me like demon offspring" she admits, Cullen's eyes turn sad. No one in Honnleath ever looked at her that way. She was just an elf that came and went. But the world isn't as kind as those that lived in that village. And Shora's appearance is unique. His eyes spot the golden lines on her throat beneath her hood as she shifts. 

"You got your tattoos" he offers. "What are they called again?"

"Vallaslin" she answers. "And....No" she shakes her head. "No, I was never allowed them" she traces the line of the tattoo on her throat. "These are just...tattoos" 

"Why weren't you allowed your vallaslin?"

"Because of my mother", she answers. "I'm not a full elf, you understand that, right?" 

"I know" he answers. "We spoke about your mother" she nods a little. 

"Because she wasn't one of the people, I wasn't....allowed to get anything relating to the Creators" she shakes her head and lets out a breath. "But they allowed me to design something else" she motions to her neck. "And it was to be done with different ink...I was part of the clan but at the same time, I wasn't" She takes a breath and stands. "I am to be stuck here until the mages have finished healing my wounds, until then...I would appreciate it if you kept your distance" 

"Ash" he stands to join her. "You can't ask that of me, you're my friend"

"No, I was....our friendship ended the day you joined the Templars" She scolds him and then walks away, leaving him to stare after her.


	17. Chapter Thirteen

Solas gives up his cabin for Shora, to allow her to rest and recover, at least during the duration she is here. Which won't be for much longer. She doesn't want to stick around, well she does, for Miva, but there are Templars here, and she is fighting every instinct to go out there and murder them all on principle, but she also knows that them being here, they see that something needs to change with the order, because they follow Cullen. Shora sighs a little as she dresses, pulling tight the laces on her boots.

“When they said you were tall for an elf...oh, boy, they weren't kidding” Shora raises an eyebrow at the elf sat on Solas' desk, an arrow between her fingers.

“Sera, right?” Shora asks as she grabs and pulls on her Rook jacket. “The Red Jenny” she purrs, she and Sera share a look. Sera salutes and smirks.

“Night Mother” Shora inclines her head.

“On behalf of the Rooks” Shora starts. “I would like to thank you and the Jenny's for your continuing information and support”

“Yeah, well....bad guys get knifed, the little guy wins,” Sera tells her with a shrug. “You even got elfy elf to give up his bed...” Sera points out as she drops down from the desk.

“Shh” Shora warns pressing her finger to Sera's lips, Shora's ears twitching, trying to pick up sound, Sera's eyes watch the movement because she's never tried to do that with her own ears. Shora blinks and her eyes suddenly start glowing, Sera's eyes widen. “Get to the Herald,” Shora tells Sera, noting the look in the assassin's eyes, Sera nods and slips out the window. Shora opens the front door and steps out, silently closing it behind her. Her fingers pull her hood up over her head and smirks before disappearing into the shadows.

…...........

“What's with the emergency meeting?” Cullen asks as he rubs at his eyes walking into the Chantry. “The sun's not even up yet” He lowers his hands and then realizes, seeing Miva and the other advisors stood with Sera, Vivienne, Solas, Arno, Astrid, and Shora, along with one unfamiliar figure.

“Thanks to the Night Mother” Leliana starts. “An attempt on the Herald's life was stopped” Cullen raises an eyebrow at Shora, her hidden blade pressing on the attempted assassin's throat. Miva stands next to Josephine, Vivienne, and Solas standing in front of them, mage defenders. Arno and Astrid hover close to Shora. Just in case.

“I would have killed him for the nerve but....” Shora starts and rolls her eyes to Leliana. “Your Spymaster convinced me to stay my blade for the moment. And just so you know...I don't like people threatening my family” Shora scolds Leliana who nods.

“Noted...Ashshora Mahariel” Shora rears slightly surprised. “Yes, I know who you are....and I know who your brother was...and I am sorry” Shora scoffs.

“Ten years too late on that apology, Lay Sister” Shora states.

“I know” Leliana agrees. “It's an apology that the whole of Ferelden owes you”

“For Rasha?” Miva asks and then looks at Shora. “You said he died during the Blight”

“He did” Shora answers.

“He was the Hero of Ferelden” Leliana adds. “He died stopping the Blight” Cassandra leaves one of the back rooms dragging a chair with her.

“You never told me that,” Miva tells Shora who holds her head up and shrugs.

“It wasn't important” Shora whispers.

“Wait” Cullen realizes. “That's how he knew who I was” he whispers, Shora looks at him. “I...didn't make the connection” she scoffs a little and then shoves the assassin into the chair, Cassandra uses a rope to bind him to it. Shora takes a breath and nods to the Seeker who yanks down the hood of the assassin, Shora's eyes widening as she moves to stand in front of him.

“He's a...” She starts.

“Rook!” Astrid finishes moving to Shora's side. “He's one of mine!” Astrid moves and pats him down, looking for something, anything as to why he did this to her, to the Rooks, to Shora.

“Shora” Miva starts, Shora turns to her.

“I did not sign off on this” Shora is quick to point out.

“No, I know that” Miva assures her. “But...maybe someone else did”

“No” Shora argues. “No, they all go through me....and his orders” she motions to the assassin strapped down. “Then come from Astrid”

“There is no one else that can send them out?” Leliana asks her.

“They go through the Listener too” Shora explains. “But he wouldn't do this”

“No” Astrid agrees. “Not with his history”

“Who?” Leliana asks, Shora sighs and looks at Leliana.

“Yeah, because I am about to start telling you who all the members of the Rooks are” Shora points out with a look. “Especially my inner circle...I haven't spent ten years gaining their trust and loyalty to break it in a matter of seconds” she states moving back to the soon to be ex-Rook. Shora pulls open his uniform, her eyes landing on the insignia hanging around his neck, she leans up and takes a breath before she yanks at the necklace, pulling it from him. The Templar charm in her palm as she turns away from him. She thought her system worked. She thought she did everything right, everything that stopped the Templars from getting into her ranks, to stop them from getting past recruitment level. She curls her hand around the charm and tightens her jaw with her anger. “He's working for the Templars” Shora growls and lunges forward, Astrid yanks her back.

“Okay, they need to talk to him and you get blade happy around Templars” She scolds. “Arno” Astrid states. “Will you take her to get a drink in the tavern?” Arno nods and leans up.

“Sure, come on, Night Mother” he takes Shora's arm, she breathes heavily through her nose. “Come on” he repeats, Shora shakes off his arm and then walks away. Cullen's eyes follow her. Her instinct tells her to kill Templars on sight, he should possibly be worried about the Templars that are in Haven. Former as they are, her reaction is worrying. But he understands why she's so angry at them. 


	18. Chapter Fourteen

Cullen finds Shora in the tavern, sat alone at a table in the darkest corner. She's so used to working and living in the shadows of life that she manages to find the darkest corners wherever she goes. Cullen takes a breath and approaches her. She senses him. Hears him approaching. She lets out a breath as she stares into her drink.

“Do not worry” she comments not looking up from her drink. “I will be leaving after I have finished this” she taps on the mug and then lets out a sigh.

“Ash” he starts. “I understand your reluctance to trust the Templars” She nods a little. “But we joined the Inquisition, we left the order behind us”

“I have spent the majority of my adult life trying to take the Order down” she lifts her eyes slightly to look at him. “It makes no sense to me that you and...them” She motions outside, implying the other Templars. “Would join the Inquisition”

“Maybe if you asked us, instead of throwing us all together and judging us” he comments as he gives her a look, she appears thoughtful for a moment before she motions with her hand for him to go ahead. Cullen takes a breath and sits across from her. “I saw the worst of the order, and the mages” he admits as he pulls his gloves from his fingers and then sets them on the top of the table. “My post in Ferelden wasn't...exactly what I expected, it was...difficult, and I feel like I am...understating that” he settles on, still not ready to talk about the complete truth, even with her. “After that, I was sent to...Kirkwall....” He sighs and lifts his eyes to her, sees her staring at him from under her hood. “I experienced things that...I never thought possible, within the order, within the circle...I realized what had become of them, how the system in place did not work, how far it is from the stories we were told growing up...And I wanted to change it, to fix it, but no one would listen to me...until Cassandra” he looks at her softly. “Many of the other Templars that were in Kirkwall with me saw it the same way. Cassandra's invitation was extended to them...All of them took it, all of them follow the Inquisition because they know it is the right path because they know that they want to change the way things were, if all Templars were so irredeemable then they wouldn't want to change, they wouldn't want to fix what the order broke” she looks away from him, because she knows he's right. “I know why you hate Templars, Ash” he offers softly. “Because I know how much they meant to you as a child” she reaches her hand up and brushes it over her cheek to remove a stray tear. “And they broke your heart....and I am sorry about your father,” he tells her. “He was a good man....”

“Yes, he was, and he didn't deserve the death he was given” she agrees as she draws her finger over the table. He reaches for her hand but she snatches it away just before he can touch her. He sighs and pats the table before pulling his hand back.

“What happens now?” he asks her, she shrugs a little.

“I do not plan on staying” she is quick to tell him. “This is not my world...I'm going to slink back to the shadows where I belong” she stands and straightens her jacket, intent on walking away from him. She only gets a few steps before she stops and turns back to him. “Cullen” he looks up at her. “You told me not to judge all templars” she points out. “Yet you judged me for being an assassin” she adds. “Do you even know what the Rooks do?” she asks him. “What we stand for?” he sighs and shakes his head.

“No” he admits. “And you're right...I did judge you, because I couldn't see my friend becoming that....the girl I grew up with wasn't capable of killing someone” The two of them share a look, their lost friendship passing between both of them, the years that have changed her, changed him, changed them. The possibility of what could have been. If he hadn't joined the Templars. If they had allowed Shora to join. If things had turned out differently. She looks away first before she walks away. Cullen hangs his head. He misses her. The girl he once knew. He has no idea who that woman is but she is so far from the sweet little elf girl he grew up with.

…........

Shora slips through the window of the cabin that her _templar_ betrayer is currently being held in. He sleeps soundly, but she will not kill him whilst he sleeps, she wants him to know that she is the one to do this, to bring down punishment on him. She stalks around the bed to where he lays. She smirks darkly down at him. This kill she will enjoy. She clears her throat loudly. His eyes snap open and see her peering over him. He jerks up, produces his wrist blade, she snatches it from him and throws it across the room, he will not use their weapon. She yanks him up and spins him, forcing him to kneel in front of her, one arm around his throat, the other produces her blade and she sets it over his heart, not just yet. He holds his head up high though. No regret in what he has done to her or the Rooks. The Rooks is a brotherhood, a family, and he betrayed them all.

“For the Rooks” Shora whispers in his ear before she plunges her blade into his heart. The blade slides away and she drops his body to the ground. There is no love left when one of her own betrays her. They have rules. And she cannot let him get away with breaking them. Shora looks up sensing movement at the door, the moonlight shines in and onto Leliana who stands there. Shora cocks her head and raises an eyebrow, though Leliana cannot see the latter. Leliana nods, she understands what needed to be done. Shora stands up taller and nods back at her before picking up the discarded wrist blade. She then slips back out of the window.


	19. Chapter Fifteen

Shora sits eating an apple as the sun rises over the mountain. She swings her legs off the edge of the dock and just watches the new dawn break. When it's quiet, even with the Breach in the sky, it's peaceful and quiet. She takes a bite of her apple and hums. This is probably the last moment of peace she will get for a while. Once she returns to her rookery she will have to get to work. Miva is going to need any and all intel Shora can get her hands on regarding the Templars. She rolls her head to the figure that comes to stand at her side.

“Varric Tethras” he offers. She hums a little and smirks.

“The writer” She states, he laughs a little and nods. “My recruits talk about your books, but I haven't had the pleasure or the time to read them myself”

“Probably for the best” he teases and sits at her side.

“Though I did have one of my Speakers approach the twins when I heard of their skills in battle” She admits. “They would have been lovely additions to my little organization” Varric smirks at her.

“Little organization?” he asks her, she smirks as she looks at him.

“Word has it no one knows how many Rooks are out there” she offers, they share an amused look.

“Just how you like it, I assume” he comments, she shrugs and looks at her apple.

“How many Crows do you think there are out there?” she asks him. “How many Templars? How many Mages? How many Chantry sisters?”

“Alright, I see....every organization has it's...numbers” she hums and nods. “And not everyone tells the truth”

“No one in this world tells the truth” She argues. “You're a writer and writers lie” He chuckles and then nods in agreement.

“We prefer the term....exaggeration” he teases, she snorts and takes another bite of her apple. “You're not sticking around, are you?” Varric asks her.

“No” She answers. “I can't, I have an organization to run, people depend on me, I can't swan around with some religious nutballs” Varric raises an eyebrow at her. “That's all I see” she adds. “Chantry banners, Templars in the ranks...I can't look past that despite who their figurehead is...I have a job to do, and I will continue to do it” they share a look, he nods a little and then stands.

“I'll leave you to your breakfast” he motions to her apple and then walks away. Varric nods to Miva as they pass one another on the dock. Miva continues towards Shora as she stands from the dock edge.

“You're still here” Miva points out as she walks towards Shora.

“I will be leaving soon” Shora admits. “I just wanted to make sure the mages were finished with me” she motions to her chest and stomach and shrugs. “You know how mother hen they can get” Miva offers her a small smile.

“You are alright though, right?” Miva asks her, Shora smiles and nods.

“I always survive” Shora answers. “You know that” Miva nods and then takes a breath.

“Cullen told me about your...history” Miva admits, Shora sighs a little. “You never told me you had a human friend, you never told me you wanted to be a Templar”

“By the time you came to live with me” Shora starts and looks at Miva. “That part of my life was long over, what would me telling you have achieved?” Miva gives her a sad smile. “All that was important was your training...and the Rooks” Shora touches Miva's shoulder and squeezes, her form of affection. Shora then releases her and then starts to walk away.

“Shora” Miva calls, Shora pauses in her steps. “I don't think I would have survived this long without your training” Miva admits, Shora smiles a little. “So thank you” Shora walks away, Miva smiles a little herself and nods. She knows she would not have made it this far without those years she spent with Shora and the Rooks.

….........

Cullen stands with his troops, watching them train, his hand on his sword. He hasn't seen Shora today, he assumes that she's already left. He wasn't really expecting a goodbye. Whatever their relationship was or could have been is no longer. She is not the same girl he knew, just as he is not the same boy she knew. He notices a couple of his troops staring behind him, Cullen frowns and turns. He jumps a little when he notices Shora standing there behind him, he gives her a look and she shrugs before she holds up a hand, a book held between her fingers.

“You want to know who I am now?” She asks him. “Who the Rooks are? What we stand for?” He nods a little, she holds up the book. “Every recruit gets one of these when they are initiated into the Rooks” she throws the book at him, he catches it, his eyes looking down at it, when he looks up Shora is gone. He looks around for her, seeks her out, she can't just be gone, he's only just found her again, but he finds nothing. His fingers curl around the book in his hand and he takes a deep breath.

…..............

Cullen sits on the steps to Haven, it's late now, everyone else is has taken to their beds, or the tavern. He looks down at his lap where the book Shora gave him sits. The first page has a detailed sketch of a rook. He knows it's Shora's handiwork. She was always skilled at drawing. Animals. People. Plants. He traces the lines of the bird and then turns the page. This page has writing on it. At the top of the page it states: _As a member of the Rooks, you must abide by the Eight Tenets. They are the laws that guide and protect us._ Cullen lets his eyes scan over those and then lowers to the rest of the page. The tenets. Their rules he supposes. They seem reasonable for assassins. They seem more accepting than any other organization. He flips through the rest of the book. Pages of procedure and chains of command and what to-dos in certain situations. She's got a plan for everything. Everything that can go wrong. Contingency plans in case something else comes up. Everything she can do to keep her Rooks safe and to keep innocent people safe. He misjudged her and her people. Heard assassin and thought the worst of them, of her. He should have known better. He should have known that his best friend was not a simple cutthroat. Yes, she kills people, but from this book, she only kills those that deserve it. Those that hurt and prey on the vulnerable. She fights justice in the only way she knows how.


	20. Chapter Sixteen

Miva knows it's early when she walks into the war room, which is part of why she is surprised that Cullen is already awake and working on his reports. She sighs a little knowing he is going to burn himself out, and she has a feeling that this is because of Shora. She understands that their old friendship was important to them both and seeing each other after all these years will have shocked them to their core.

“Have you slept?” Miva asks Cullen who shakes his head as he leans on the war table. “Shora?” she counters, he glances at her.

“Yes,” he answers with a sigh. “I read the initiate book” he admits with a small smile.

“Ah” Miva leans on the table across from him. “Not what you thought they are? The Rooks?”

“No” he admits. “No, I was quick to judge”

“There is a reason that only certain people fear them” Miva offers. “Only those that know they have done wrong know that there is a chance the Rooks will come a-knocking” he smiles and nods.

“They protect the innocent”

“Yes,” she agrees with him. “It is what is at the heart of the organization, what Shora built it on, protecting those that cannot protect themselves” Cullen looks down at the map, at the little knight sat pride of place on it. He didn't have the heart to remove it.

“She killed the traitor,” he tells Miva, she nods, she knows, she knew that was the only thing to do.

“Shora takes betrayal very personally” Miva informs him. “The Rooks, they're a family, when someone betrays them....when someone breaks the tenets” Miva shrugs a little. “It's personal” Cullen takes a deep breath. “I am sorry you had to see this version of her, Cullen” Miva whispers. “I can see how much she meant to you”

“It's been so long” he states. “So very long and seeing her again” he shrugs a little and places his hand on the hilt of his sword. “She's so different but I can still see the Shora I knew in there”

“She was hurt, and she hides behind it” Miva offers, he nods. He's seen that too. She's protecting herself by hiding behind the Night Mother, by cutting herself from all feelings, she's trying to protect her heart.

“I miss her” he admits quietly. “I miss how much easier it was when we were children”

“No templars, no war, no breach” she teases, he laughs and nods looking at her.

“Back when everything was stories and fantasy and.....hope” he nods a little. “That's what she's lost....she lost hope” Miva nods in agreement.

…...........

Shora drops into her desk chair, lifting her legs to set them on her table. It's only been 6 days since she left Haven but she already feels so lonely. She forgot what it was like to have Cullen in her life. Forgot the presence he had. Now she's alone again. And it's different this time. She sighs and drops her legs before leaning on the table to look over the reports littering the top of it, those she received whilst she was away, those that are too important for Zevran to deal with himself.

….............

Zevran pulls a blanket around Shora as she sleeps in her bed to tuck her in. He likes looking after her. Sees a lot of his younger self in her without all the torture and pain that came with the Crows, his life would have been so much better and brighter if the Rooks had always been around, but they are here now, he is here now. And he is using his skill set for something good. He stands and moves to her desk to clear away what she was working on. Those weapons designs are out again. And with everything going on with the Inquisition he understands why she has been looking at them. She would want to give Miva an edge, an edge no one else has. And these designs would do it. He taps his fingers on the designs before picking them up and tucking them under his arm, he can at least have their blacksmith work on a prototype, and he can try and figure out a way for her to have the explosive she needs. Maybe he can contact Salit and Buke, they have some experience in explosives. He glances at Shora sleeping before leaving her to it. She needs her rest.

…..........

Cullen sits on his bed, unable to sleep, still struggling with Shora's leaving and his own lyrium issues, it wasn't so bad, until she left, now it's raging in his head and it's almost all he can think about. He presses his fingers into the side of his head and closes his eyes. The initiate book is open beside him, it's what he had been reading when he got a really bad wave of nausea and then the headache came like a brick wall, like he was repeatedly slamming his head against one. He takes a deep breath and presses his fingers in harder trying to block out the pain.

….............

“What do you know about explosives?” Zevran asks Walter, the Rooks local blacksmith, he's an older gentleman, having been here when Shora first saved the town, and then stayed with her after, he supplies them everything they need with a discount, and they supply him anything he needs.

as he looks over Shora's designs.

“Not a lot” Walter answers. “Thought you Rooks had some knowledge”

“Yes, for grenades and with magic but....” Walter nods getting to that part of the design.

“But not for these” he finishes and turns to the next page. “Fascinating” he comments. “They almost resemble the qunari dreadnought cannons” Zevran raises an eyebrow. “The rookery has a fascinating collection of books on weaponry” Walter explains. “Night Mother is kind enough to lend me some” Walter takes a breath and nods. “I can make a simple prototype to test the ammunition” Walter offers. “If you can bring me some books”

“On what?” Zevran asks.

“Anything about sela petrae, drakestone...charcoal, if you have anything on lyrium sand or gaatlok that would be helpful too” Walter turns the page. “I can get the basic parts done easy enough...” he assures Zevran. “This is for the Night Mother, yes?” Zevran nods. “Very well...” he sets the blueprints down. “Give me a few days to get started, and get me those books”


	21. Chapter Seventeen

Zevran pulls a book from the shelf in the library, he's been searching for books to her Walter with the weapon design but it is proving difficult without Shora's help, they are her designs, she would be best suited to talking Walter through it. But for it to be a surprise, she cannot know about it at all. Zevran sighs and sets the book back, not the one he is looking for, he grabs another and flips it open to read from it. Behind him, Shora walks into the room and stares at him.

“What are you doing?” Shora asks Zevran who drops the book in his hand when he is startled, he might be a highly trained assassin but Shora is better at being sneaky.

“Just borrowing some books” he answers and picks up the book. “Why are you skulking around?”

“I wasn't” She teases slightly. “I just walked in” Zevran huffs a little as she smirks at him. He notes the letter in her hand and cocks his head.

“How is Miva?” he asks, she nods.

“I think she's sinking but she is baring it well” She answers.

“Like a true Mahariel” He teases her, she huffs a little and looks at him. “You taught her as best you could” he adds softer. “Prepared her for the world...she knows what she is doing, and she knows she has you to turn to” He studies her a moment. “Is this about the Commander?” He asks, she shoots him an annoyed look. “Miva writes to me too” He teases, she huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “He's the human boy the villagers talk about” He points out. “The one you were inseparable from....”

“Yes” She answers and shrugs. “That was a long time ago”

“Was it...” Zevran starts and moves closer to her. “Your feelings for him...was it romantic?”

“What?” Shora scolds. “No, he was my friend....” He raises an eyebrow at her. She looks away from him. “Yeah” She whispers. “Maybe...but come on...who is ever going to feel that way about me?” He frowns at her. “The way I look....”

“It won't matter” he stops her. “Shora, if someone truly loves you, then they will think you are beautiful....which you are” She looks at him. “You are unique, and there is always beauty in the unique”

“I an not going to warm your bed, Zee, stop trying so hard” She scolds him, he chuckles a little and shrugs.

“It is always worth a shot” he pats her shoulder and leaves the library, she sighs and shakes her head.

…........

Cullen has been spending more and more time in the war room, mostly because he is terrified to sleep. His nightmares have taken on an even more personal note, drawing on his feelings for Shora, taunting him with her. So he stays awake. As long as he can. Miva walks into the room and shakes out the snow from her hair before shifting closer to the map.

“I am heading back to the Hinterlands at first light” She offers touching the map. “And making a side trip to Honnleath” Miva tells him, Cullen looks up from the war table. “The Rooks have sent a letter offering us supplies...unofficially of course, but Shora has supplies at her disposal and we can take advantage of that” He nods a little and looks back at the report on the table. “You could come with me” Miva offers, Cullen looks at her, finds her smirking at him.

“I can't leave my post” He argues.

“Cullen” Miva starts softly. “I know you miss her....and if you spent some time with her”

“Herald” He stops her. “I appreciate what you are trying to do, but we both have duties to see to. I cannot worry about my relationship or former relationship with Ashshora, with everything else I have to concentrate on....my work here is important”

“So is she” She argues. “Cullen...friendship is what binds us all together, it is what defines us, I hate thinking that you both lost what you had, because I know how much you both meant to one another, everything you have been through, I want you to fix it”

“I do not think it can be fixed” he whispers sadly. He still cares about Shora, with every fibre of his being, but their friendship broke down years ago, and he is not sure that is can be fixed. They have both been through so much, changed so much. Neither of them are the children they were when they were friends.

“Everything can be fixed” Miva tells him. “That's why it's called broken, broken implies it can be fixed...” Cullen smiles a little, she is still so young, so fresh to this world that she hasn't really been through something like that.

“Herald” He goes to argue, because he really doesn't think anything can be done for him and Shora, not that he doesn't want to. He wants to fix it. He wants his best friend back.

“Did you not want to oversee the building of the watchtowers for Dennet?” She asks him, Cullen sighs because he did want to oversee that task himself, to see his soldiers and men out in the field with the refugees. To get an idea on their strengths and the way people see them. “Cassandra can remain here and undertake your tasks until you return...” Cullen looks down at the map. He really wants to argue with her but Miva is proving to be just as stubborn as her cousin.

“Very well” He caves and looks at her. “But this might not go the way you wish it” He adds, she nods. She knows this.

….........

It's a long, tense journey to Honnleath, Cullen's nerves at being around Shora evident in every single step he takes. And he doesn't even know why he is so nervous. Miva was right, they were friends, it's supposed to be easy and simple, and he shouldn't feel so nervous being around his best friend. Varric has teased him throughout the whole journey, implying that the reason he is so nervous is because he actually feels romantic feelings towards Shora, and maybe he did in his teens but he is sure he grew out of them. Maybe it is just because they have seen one another after all these years and maybe those feelings came back, but even if he did really feel that way, she is never going to want to have anything to do with him. His templar past will always hinder anything they have. Even a friendship might prove difficult.

.............

Honnleath. Cullen hasn't stepped foot back in this village in more than ten years. There are eyes on them from every corner of the village. Villagers, Rooks, La Volpe, each watching their steps, tracking their movements. Solas and Varric linger behind Miva and Cullen as they travel towards the centre of the village. Cullen taking in what used to be his home, and how much has changed. Everything that was destroyed during the Blight has been rebuilt, a new tavern, a new stables. Everything is different. He barely recognises it. He steps closer to the centre of the village, the little penned off area that he spent so many hours in with Shora. Miva watches him a moment as his hand tightens on the handle of his sword.

“Cullen?” Miva asks as she moves to his side.

“When I was younger” He starts. “Ash and I...we used to play here” he motions ahead of them at the pen. “There was a stone golem” Cullen mumbles staring at the empty space where it had been. “It's gone”

“Shale” A voice states behind them, Cullen and Miva turn to find Shora watching them. “Her name was Shale and she was activated by Rasha, aided him against the Blight”

“It was real” Cullen whispers and looks back at the empty space. Shora hums in agreement.

“Come” Shora tells them. “Let us get this over with” She turns and walks away. Cullen closes his eyes and hangs his head. Miva touches his arm and follows after Shora. Cullen takes a deep breath before joining her.


End file.
